m^(M?w^^m^ 


'^i 


J".  //.  bS'. 

Srom  f^e  iiX^taxt  of 

gprofefifior  ^amuef  (ttttfPer 

in  (Utemorp  of 

3wbge  ^amuef  (gtiffer  (grecftinrib^e 

3?re0enfeb  61? 

^amuef  (gtifPer  (jSrecftinrib^e  Eong 

to  f^e  &t6rari?  of 

^rincefon  S^eofogtcaf  ^eminarj? 


i«  ■ . 


^z. 


TWENTY. ONR 


SERMONS, 


ON    A    VARIETY   Of 


INTERESTING    SUBJECTS, 


SENTIMENTAL   AND  PRACTICAL, 


— =^^ 


By  SAMUEL  HOPKINS,  D,  D. 

r  AS  TOR.    or     THE     FIRST     CONORBGATIOIIAL     CHURCH     l« 
1IXWP9RT    {  RHODE-JSLAND.) 


•Publijhed  according  io  A61  of  Congrefu 


SALEM: 

PRINTED     BY    JOSHUA     CUSHIN», 

^QX    THE  AUTHOR. 

1803. 


I'iVl- 


A  :i  7/  T 


C':         ) 


'Av;,         vn"^. 


O    M    K    K    e 


..1»AV 


CONTENTS, 

.V  v.o. 


(01  ii  <\>X 

SERMON  I. 

The,Reafon  of  th«:Hope  of  a  ChriftKip,AvIncli  he 
ought  always  to  give  to  him  who  afketh  it  or 
him.  ;  ;   . ,' 

I  PETER,  III.  14,  15.  '       ^AOE. 

And  be  not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  ye  troubled  ;  but 
fanftify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts  ;  and  be  ready  always 
to  give  an  anfwer  to  every  man  that  afketh  you  a  reafon  of 
the  hope  that  is  i»  youi  with  meeknefs  ,and'  feSr^  i 

•  SERMON  II. 
The  fame  Subject  continued. 

.J, PETER,  III.  15. 

.■7i!r.  , '     ■       ,, 
And  be  ready  always  to  give  an  anfwer  to  every  man  that  afk- 
eth you  a  reafon  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekncfs 
and  fear.  27 

:\i  •  .       ■       " 

SERMON  III. 

On  Chriftian  Friendlbip,  as  it  fubfifts  between  Chrift 
and  Believers,  and  between  Believers  themfelves. 

CANTICLES  V.  16. 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend.  47 


rA«E. 

SERMON  IV. 
The  fame  Subjed  continued* 

CANTICLES  V.  1 6, 
T/fe  is  my  bcloved>  and  this  is  my  friend.  6a 

SERMON  V. 
The  Friendlhip  of  Chriftians  bet*wccn  each  other. 

CANTICLES  V.  16- 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend,  %t 

SERMON  VL 
The  Friendfhip  between  Jefus  Chrift  and  Believers. 

Canticles  v.  i6. 

This  is  my  beloved,  atkd  Mis'  is  my  friend,  ^ 

SERMON  VIL 
On  Chriftian  Friendlhip. 

canticles  V.  1 6. 

This  is  n»y  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend.  1 14 

SERMON  VIIL 
On  Chriftian  Friendfhip, 

canticles  V.  16. 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend,  18? 

SERMON  IX. 
How  Chriftians  work  out  their  own  Salvation.     ^^' 

PHILIPPIANS  II.  12,  13. 

Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  :  for  it 
is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  do,  of  his 
good  pleafure.  H^ 


m  OU  T  E  N  T  s.'  "¥ 

SERMON  X. 
The  fame  Subjed  continued. 

PHILIPPIANS  II.  12,  13. 

Work  out  your  ©wn  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling:  for  It      '  '-;. 
•   is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his    ■'■*''  "" 
good  pleafure,  iCz 

SERMON  XI. 
What  is  meant  by  Fear  and  Trembling. 

PHILIPPIANS  II.  12,  13. 

Work  oiit  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  :  for  it      ^ 
is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his 
good  pleafure.  1 7S 

SERMON  XII. 
God  working  in  Men  to  will  and  to  do. 

PHILIPPIANS  11.  12,  13.  ;-rrtn:iI 

Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling :  for  it 
is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his 
good  pleafure.  1J3 

SERMON  XIIL 
.vtir  An  Improvement  of  the  Subje^i:, 

PHILIPPIANS  IL  12,  13. 

Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  :  for  1%.!  f,, ., 
is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his 
•};ood  pleafure,  2i« 

SERMON  XIV. 
Improvement  continued. 

PHILIPPIANS  II.  12,  13. 

Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  :  for  it 
is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  doj  of  his 
good  pleafure.  23* 


VI  ^.O  N,  T'»N  T  %, 

»AGt. 

SJERMQN  XV. 
The  Law  of  Works  and  the  Law  of  Faith. 

.    ROMANS  III.  27. 

Where  isboafting  then  ?  It  is  excluded.  By  what  law?  Of 
worIp$  i    N^y  ;  but  by  tlic  law  of  faith.  24^ 

SERMON  XVL 

An  Improvement  of  the  Subjed.      . 

ROMANS  III.  27. 

Wkere  is  boafling.  then  ?  ,  It  is  excluded.     By  what  lg,w  ?,  ^C^J^  jn/'T 
works?    'Nay  j  but  by  the  law  of  faith.  '_'.,'',  ^t,,' j,^A'i^» 

SERMON  XVIL 
The  Decrees  of  God,  the  Foundation  of  Piety. 

ECCLESIASTES  III.  14. 

1  know  that  whatfoever  God  doth,  it  fhall  be  forever  :  nothing 
can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it;  and  God 
doth  it,  that  nipa  (hiould  fear  before  him.^  27S 

SERMON  XVIIL 
The  Decrees  of  God,  the  Foundation  of  Piety, 

ECCLESIASTES  III.   14. 

I  know  that  whatfoever  God  doth,  it  fhall  be  forever  ;  nothing 
can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it ;  and  God 
doth  it,  that  men  (hould  fear  before  him.  297 

SERMON  XIX. 
The  farhe  Subjed  continued. 

ECCLESIASTES  III.  14. 

I  knov/  that  whatfoever  God  doth,  it  fliall  be  forever  ;  nothing 
can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it  ;  and  God 
d<)th  it,  that  men  fhould  fear  before  him.  3H 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

rAGS. 

SERMON  XX. 

The  fins  of  men  are  fo  under  the  direction  and  con- 
troul  of  God,  IS  to  glorify  him,  and  fubferve 
the  good  of  his  kingdom,  in  every  inilance  of  it 
which  he  fuflfers  to  take  place. 

PSALM  LXXVI.  lo. 

Surely  the  wrath  of  man  fhall  praife  thee :  the  remainder  of 
wrath  Ihalt  thou  reftrain.  33a 

SERMON  XXI. 
The  Author's  Farewell  to  the  World. 

PSALM  LXXVL  10. 

"Surely  the  wrath  of  man   fhall  praife  thee :  the  remainder  of 
wrath  ihalt  thou  reftraio.  356 


Ai 


Sermon  i. 

WRITTEN    IS    THE    YEAR     180I. 


The  Reafon  of  the  Hope  of  a  Chriftian,  which  he  ought 
always  to  give  to  him  who  alketh  it  of  him. 

I  Peter,  iii.  14,  15.  And  be  not  afraid  of  their  terror^ 
neither  be  ye  troubled  ;  but  fan6lify  the  Lord  God  in  your 
hearts  :  and  be  ready  always  to  give  an  aifwer  to  every 
man  that  afketh  you  a  reafon  of  the  hope  that  is  in  youy 
with  meeknefs  and  fear, 

THE  apoftle  Peter  had  a  fpecial  commifilon  to  preach 
the  gofpel  to  the  Jews,  which  did  not  exclude  a 
regard  to  the  uncircumcifed  Gentiles.  He  therefore 
writes  this  epiftle  to  the  Jews  who  were  difperfed  from 
the  land  of  Ifrael,  into  various  places  in  the  Lelier  Alia, 
and  had  embraced  Chriftianity ;  with  whom  the  Gen- 
tiles are  included,  who  had  become  Chriftians,  and  had 
joined  with  the  believing  Jews.  In  confequence  of  their 
becoming  Chriftians,  they  were  hated,  and  fuffered  per- 
fecution  by  the  unbelieving  Jews  and  idolatrous  Gen- 
tiles ;  who  were  difpofed  to  inflidl  on  them  all  the  evils 
which  were  in  their  power  j  efpecially  the  former,  who 
exercifed  the  fame  ill  will  towards  them  which  Paul  had 
and  acted  out  before  his  converfion,  and  which  they 
manifefted  towards  the  apoftles  and  all  Chriftians  ;  of 
which  we  have  the  hiftory  in  the  Ads  of  the  Apoftles. 

The  Apoftle,  in  this  epiftle  to  them,  mentions  many 
things  to  fupport  and  comfort  them  in  their  afflicted, 
flifiering  ftate,  and  encourage  and  animate  them  to  per- 
fevere  in  the  profellion  and  pradice  of  Chriftianity,  to 
whatever  reproaches,  worldly  loffes  and  perfecutions 
they  might  expofe  themfclves  hereby  j  and  gives  them 

B  many 


2  THE    P.EASON    OF    THE  SeRM.    I. 

many  directions  for  their  condud  in  all  circumftances, 
and  towards  all  pcrfons  ;  efpecially  in  the  prcfent  ftate 
of  thino^s.  Of  the  latter  we  find  an  inftance  in  the 
words  now  before  us-.  The  Apoftle  here  alludes  to  the 
words  of  Ifiiah  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  prophecy. 
When  the  inhabitants  of  Judah  were  threatened  with 
an  invafion  by  the  neighbouring  nations,  he  tells  them 
not  to  be  afraid  of  them,  but  to  fanclify  the  Lord  of 
Hofts,  and  make  him  their  fear  and  their  dread.  So  the 
apoftle  tells  Chriftians,  when  threatened  with  tlie  great- 
eft  evils  that  the  enemies  to  Chriftianity  could  inftift, 
not  to  be  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled.^ 
but  fandify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts.  To  fanclify 
the  Lord  in  their  hearts  was  to  love  him  fupremely,  and 
truft  in  him  alone,  defiring  that  he  might  be  exalted  and 
glorified  above  all  creatures  forever.  The  fame  word  in 
the  original  is  tranflated  hallQzved,  which  is  here  render- 
ed y^//i(ff/)5'*  "Hallowed  be  thy  name:"  that  is,  may 
thy  facred  nam.e  and  glorious  character  be  made  known, 
difplayed  and  glorified  to  the  higheft  degree,  by  all 
things  that  take  place. . 

"  And  be  ready  always  to  give  an  anfwer  to  every 
man  that  afl^eth  you  the  reafon  of  the  hope  that  is  in 
you.'*  Chriftians  are  directed  to  be  cd-ivays  able,  ready 
and  willing  to  give  the  reafon  of  their  hope,  to  every  one 
who  afketh  it  of  them.  This  muii:  be  underftood  with 
•fomc  limitation.  By  every  one  who  afKeth,  is  meant 
every  one  who  a&eth  in  a  proper,  decent  manner,  and 
■with  an  apparent,  profefl'ed  deftre  to  know  what  reafons 
Chriftians  can  give  for  their  hope.  If  any  afked  them 
to  do  this,  with  an  apparent  defign  to  ridicule  and  mock 
them,  and  to  get  fonie  advantage,  and  matter  of  accu- 
fation  againft  them,  which  would  expofe  them  to  fuf- 
fering  j  they  v/ere  not  obliged  to  anfwer  fuch,  as  it 
would  be  contrary  to  the  command  of  Chrift  :  "  Give 
not  that  which  is  holy  to  dogs,  neither  caft  ye  your 
pearls  before  fwine,  left  they  trample  them  under  their 
feet,  and  turn  again  and  rent  you." 

«  With 


SeRM.   I.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  5^ 

"With  meeknefs  and  fear."  Ghriftians  are  not  to 
be  haughty  and  infolent  in  giving  the  reafon  of  their 
hope,  nor  cuter  into  oftentatious  and  angry  difputes 
with  unbehcvers.  They  muft  not  defpife  and  treat  thern 
with  contempt  for  their  unreafonable  diibeUef ;  but  pity 
them,  and  treat  them  with  condefcenfion,  tenderneis 
and  benevolence,  not  fliewing  or  having  any  angry  re- 
fentment  for  any  injurious  treatment  they  may  have 
received  from  them  ;  but  fufFering  and  bearing 
all  injuries  with  a  meek  and  quiet  fpirit  and  beha- 
viour. All  tliis  is  implied  in  meeknefs.  Fear  is  here 
put  for  Chriftian  humility,  in  oppofition  to  high-mind- 
ednefs,  and  felf-conhdence,  boafting  of  their  privileges 
and  character,  by  which  they  are  favoured  and  diftin- 
guifhed  from  thofe  who  are  in  a  ftate  of  darknefs  and 
unbelief.  It  implies  a  fenfe  of  their  own  exceeding  un- 
worthincfs,  and  utter  infafficiency  in  themfelves  to  de- 
fend and  maintain  the  honour  of  the  Chriftian  caufe, 
without  conftant  fupport  and  affiftance  from  divine 
grace  j  and  continual  liablenefs  to  fail  of  their  duty,  and 
diftionour  Chriil:,  by  not  fpeaking  and  behaving  as  be- 
comes their  Chriftian  calling  and  profelTicn.  This  fear  is 
effential  to  the  Chriftian  character,  and  becomes  Chrif- 
tians  at  all  times.  The  aooftle  Paul  exhorts  Ghriftians 
"  not  to  be  high  minded,  but  fear  ;  to -work  out  their 
own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  ;'*  and  tells  the 
Ghriftians  at  Corinth,  that  he  was  among  them  in  fear 
and  much  tremblino;. 

The  fubject  propofed  to  be  confidered,  in  a  further 
improvement  of  the  words  before  us,  is,  the  hope  of 
Ghriftians,  and  the  reafon  they  have  to  give,  and  ought 
always  to  be  ready  to  give,  for  this  tlieir  hope,  when 
properly  required  of  them. 

I.  It  is  to  be  confidered  what  is  included  in  the  hope 
of  Ghriftians. 

-  Tiiis  hope  indeed  implies  and  comprehends  more  than 
words  can  exprefs,  or  the  moft  enlarged  mind  on  earth 
can  conceive.     The  grcatcft  Ghriftians  do  in  this  ftate 
compreliend  and  know  but  a  fmai]  part  of  what  is  con- 
tained' 


if  THE    REASON    OF    THE  SeRM.   L 

tained  In  this  hope.  And  they  depend  on  the  enlighten- 
ing influences  of  the  Spirit  of  Chrift,  for  the  increafing 
knowledge  of  this  which  they  may  and  ought  to  ob- 
tain in  this  life.  Therefore  the  apoftle  Paul  prays  for 
the  Chriftians  at  Ephefus,  "  that  God  would  give  unto 
them  the  fpirit  of  Mdfdom  and  revelation  in  the  know- 
ledge of  him  ;  the  eyes  of  their  underllanding  being  en- 
lightened, that  they  might  know  what  was  the  hope  of 
his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  in- 
heritance in  the  faints.'*  Chriftians  may  be  affilled  in 
their  meditations  on  this  pleafmg  and  important  fubjeft, 
by  attending  to  the  following  brief  and  fcanty  repre- 
fentation  of  their  hope,  taken  from  the  holy  fciiptures. 

Jefus  Chrift  is  the  Chriftian's  hope.  What  is  con- 
tained in  his  perfon  and  character  ;  in  what  he  has  done 
and  fuffered  ;  in  the  manifeftations  he  has  made  of  the 
divine  perfeftions  ;  in  his  revealed  deiigns  and  promifes 
to  his  church,  and  to  every  believer,  is  all  the  Chriftian 
can  hope  for,  or  can  defire,  and  far,  infinitely  far,  ex- 
ceeds his  higheft  expe6lations-,  and  the  utmoft  ftretch  of 
his  conception  and  imagination.  Jefus  Chrift  has  an 
infinite  fulnefs  for  finners.  He  has  all  they  want,  and 
they  cannot  conceive  or  wifti  for  any  greater  or  other 
good.  And  he  gives  himfelf,  and  all  he  has,  his  infinite 
fulnefs,  to  every  believer. 

Chriftians  hope  by  Chrift  to  obtain  the  free  pardon  oi 
all  their  fins,  however  many  and  great  they  are,  and  to 
be  delivered  from  the  curfe  of  the  law  of  God,  even 
eternal  deftruftion  and  mifery,  and  from  all  evil.  As 
the  children  of  God,  they  hope  for  his  kind  protection 
to  defend  them  from  all  real  evil  while  in  this  v/orld  ; 
that  what  is  in  itfelf  evil  ftiall  be  made  to  them  a  real 
good,  fo  that  all  things  fhall  confpire  to  promote  theiF 
greateft  good.  They  hope,  in  the  beft  way  and  man- 
ner, and  the  moft  proper  time,  to  be  delivered  from  all 
iin  and  moral  depravity,  and  made  perfeftly  holy,  by 
Chrift  their  Saviour  ;  and  that  their  lalvaiion  fliall  be 
for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  Redeemer  forever  ;  other- 
wife  it  would  be  no  falvation  to  them.     They  truft  in 

the 


Serm*  L  hope  of  a  christian?.  5 

the  wifdom  and  ^oodnefs  of  Chrift  to  order  tlie  time 
and  manner  of  their  death  fo  as  fhall  be  moll  for  his 
glory  and  their  good.  They  hope  that  when  they  drop 
their  bodies  into  the  grave  they  Ihall  immediately  enter 
Into  a  world  of  light  and  complete  happinefs,  being 
wholly  transformed  into  the  moral  likcnel's  of  Chrift ; 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  him,  and  of  his  favour  and 
love,  and  beholding  his  glory  ;  and  in  the  happy  fociety 
of  the  redeemed,  ihall  enjoy  uninterrupted,  increafing 
felicity  without  end. 

The  Chriftian's  hope  includes  in  it  an  alTured  and 
pleafmg  profped  that  Chrift  will  deftroy  the  works  and 
kingdom  of  the  devil  on  earth,  and  fet  up  his  own  king- 
dom, and  give  his  people  the  pofleilion  of  the  world, 
tor  at  leaft  a  thouiand  years  ;  which  happy  time  for  the 
meek,  the  faints,  to  poffefs  the  earth,  and  delight  in  the 
abundance  of  peace  and  happinefs,  fhall  commence  and 
continue  in  a  time  and  manner  moft  agreeable  to  Infinite 
Wifdom  and  Goodnefs.  And  the  Chriftian  expects  the 
fet  time  will  come,  and  is  haftcning  on,  when  Chrift 
will  come  to  judgment,  raife  the  dead,  and  aliemble  all 
the  children  of  Adam  before  him,  when  he  will  fentencs 
the  impenitent  wicked  to  everlafting  punifliment,  and 
invite  and  bring  his  friends  into  the  poileftion  of  his 
eternal  kingdom,  to  enjoy  perfect  and  progrefting  h'jp. 
pinefs  forever ;  and  that  they  fhall  fee,  and  have  a 
moft  pleafmg  and  eternally  increafmg  conviction^ 
when  all  the  enemies  of  Chrift  are  put  under  his  feet, 
and  all  tilings  are  adjufted  and  brought  to  their  proper 
and  deligned  iflue,  that  ail  events  which  have  taken 
place,  even  all  the  evil,  ftn  and  mifery  which  has  been, 
and  will  exift  for  ever,  are  included  in  the  divine  pur- 
pofe  and  plan,  which  was  in  the  higheft  wifdom  and 
goodnefs  fixed  and  ordained  from  eternity,  and  are 
neceflkry,  in  the  moft  proper  and  deftrabie  manner,  and 
to  the  higheft  poilible  degree,  to  promote  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  moft  clear  manifeftation  and  brighteft  dif- 
play  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  produce  the  higheft 
liappinefs  and  glorv  of  the  eternal  kingdom  of  God. 

This 


(^  THE    REASON    OF    THS  SeRM.   t* 

This  will  be  contemplated  forever,  and  will  be  a  fource 
of  growing  entertainment,  and  part  of  the  happinefs 
which  is  included  in  the  Chriftian's  hope.  The  work 
of  redemption  by  Chriii  is  fo  grand,  wonderful  and 
complicated,  the  effecl;  of  infmite  power,  wifdom  and 
goodnefs,  exercifed  in  the  moil  aftoniihing  condefcen- 
tion,  grace  and  mercy,  truth  and  faithfulnefs,  to  infinite- 
ly guilty,  loft  and  miferable  finners,  in  a  way  honour- 
able to  a  holy,  righteous  God,  his  law  and  government, 
and  fuited  to  humble  and  fave  linful  rebels,  and  raife 
them  to  the  higheft  honour  and  happinefs ;  and  is  at- 
tended with  fuch  infinitely  great,  important,  glorious, 
eternal  confequences  ;  that  the  redeemed  muft  enjoy  un- 
fpeakably  great  and  increafmg  happinefs  in  fearching 
into  the  wonders  of  this  work,  and  loving,  praifing  and 
adoring  God  and  the  Redeemer  forever. 

Every  true  Chriftian  hopes  to  enjoy  all  this,  and 
more,  which  no  tongue  can  utter,  or  heart  conceive ; 
and  he  fhali  actually  poflefs  it  forever.  He  will  ftand  at 
the  right  hand  of  Chrift  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and 
enter  with  all  the  redeemed  into  eternal  life  and  happi- 
nefs, and  enjoy  the  company  and  friendfliip  of  a  moft 
lovely  and  happy  fociety,  all  fwcetiy  united  in  love  to 
Chrift  and  to  each  other,  under  the  beft  advantages  to~ 
enjoy  God,  in  the  alTurance  of  his  favour  and  love,  and 
to  be  happy  in  friendftiip  with  each  other,  and  make 
rapid  advances  in  knowledge,  hoiinefs  and  happinefs  for- 
ever.— But  the  theme  is  endlcfs,  and  it  is  time  tcuftop. — 
This  is  the  hope  of  a  Chriftian  ! 

II.  The  reafon  v/hich  Chriftians  have  to  give  for  this 
hope  which  is  in  them,  or  entertained  by  them,  is  to  be 
confidered. 

This  involves  two  particulars,  which  are  in  themfelves 
really  diftincl,  though  implied  in  each  other  ;  and  there- 
fore it  is  proper  to  coniider  them  feparately.  They  are 
thefe  :  The  reafon  they  have  to  believe  and  be  fure  that 
the  Chriftian  fcriptures,  the  foundation  of  all  their 
hopes,  are  a  revelation  from  God,  containing  infallible 
truth,  without  any  error,  in  matters  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, 


SeRM.    I.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  7 

tice,  and  therefore  to  be  relied  upon  with  the  greateft 
confidence  and  fafety  ;  and  the  reafon  of  their  hope  that 
they  are  real  Chriftiiins,  and  interelled  in  all  the  bleffings 
promifed  in  the  gofpel  to  true  believers  in  Chrift. 

FirjL  The  Chriftian,  in  giving  the  reafon  of  his  hope, 
muft  tell  what  evidence  he  has  that  Chriftianity  is  a  di- 
vine inftitution,  and  that  the  fcriptures  which  contain  a 
revelation  of  it  were  written  by  the  infpiration  of  God. 

Here  Chriftians  are  introduced  to  fpeak  for  them- 
felves,  and  give  the  reafon  of  placing  their  hope  in 
Chrift  and  the  gofpel.  They  have  the  following  aniwer 
to  give  to  thofe  who  afk  them. 

1.  We  feel  the  want  of  a  hope  of  fome  good  and 
happinefs  which  cannot  be  obtained  and  enjoyed  in  this 
life,  and  in  this  world.  V/e  find  ourfelves  poffeffed  of 
thofe  mental  capacities  and  defires  which  cannot  be  fil- 
led and  fatisfied  with  the  enjoyment  of  any  or  all  the 
things  of  this  world,  the  objeds  of  time  and  fenfe.  We 
know  we  have  a  capacity  of  enjoying  a  higher  and  bet- 
ter good  than  this  world  affords,  and  a  good  which  is 
unfading,  and  will  laft  to  be  enjoyed  without  any  end  ; 
and  we  feel  ftrong  defires,  which  we  cannot  fupprefs,  of 
exifling  forever,  in  the  enjoyment  of  objects  which  w4il 
render  us  completely  happy.  This  has  excited  us  dili- 
gently to  fearch  and  inquire  whether  and  where  any 
ground  and  good  reafon  can  be  found  for  a  hope  of  en- 
joying the  good  and  happinefs  which  is  anfwerable  to 
our  capacity  and  defires. 

2.  If  the  Bible  be  excluded,  upon  the  moft  diligent 
and  extenfive  fearch  we  have  been  able  to  make,  no  fuf- 
ficient  reafon  has  been  found,  or  can  be  given,  for  a 
hope  of  a  good  adequate  to  the  capacity  and  delires  of 
man.  The  heathen  who  have  not  enjoyed  the  Bible, 
even  the  wifeft  among  them,  have  not  difcovered  any 
certainty  of  a  future  ftate.  And  all  their  conjectures 
about  it,  and  ideas  of  happinefs  to  be  enjoyed  after  death 
if  there  be  a  future  ftate,  are  fo  vague,  uncertain  and 
abfurd,  that  they  can  give  no  fatisf action  to  a  rational 
mind,  but  tend  to  the  contrary.     They  have  obtained 

no 


t  THE    RHASON    OF    THE  SeRM.    I. 

no  true  notions  of  the  charafter  of  the  true  God  ;  fo  far 
from  it,  that  they  reprefent  their  gods  in  a  ridiculous  and 
Ihanieful  light,  and  as  praclifmg  horrible  vices.  None 
of  them,  even  their  greateft  philofophers,  have  been  able 
to  find  out  what  true  happinefs  is.  They  are  indeed, 
and  always  have  been,  without  the  true  God,  and  with- 
out a  reafonable  hope  in  the  world.    ■ 

And  this  is  true  of  the  Mahometans.  They  profefs 
•indeed  to  believe  in  one  God,  which  Mahomet  taught 
them  with  a  number  of  other  things,  who  learned  them 
from  the  Bible,  with  wdiich  he  was  in  fome  meafure  ac- 
quainted ;  but  they  have  no  correct,  confiftent  notions 
of  the  divine  character,  efpecially  of  his  moral  character. 
They  do  not  know  of  any  reafonable  way  for  fmners  to 
obtain  pardon  of  their  fms,  and  the  favour  of  God  ;  and 
confequently  cannot  have  any  reafonable  hope  of  this. 
The  moft  ignorant  and  vicious  men  amono;  them  have 
a  promife  of  their  prophet  that  they  fliall  go  directly  to 
heaven,  if  they  die  fighting  for  his  caufe  and  their  re- 
ligion, or  if  they  perform  certain  prefcribed  actions  and 
ceremonies.  And  the  heaven  they  hope  for  they  think 
confifts,  not  in  holinefs  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  true 
God,  and  the  mental  happinefs  implied  in  this,  but  in 
thofe  fcnfual  delights  and  gratifications,  more  fuited  for 
beads  than  men  ;  which  are  the  objects  of  averlion  and 
abhorrence,  and  not  of  hope,  to  a  good  and  pure  mind. 

The  Infidels,  Dcifts  and  Atheifts  who  live  in  that  part 
of  the  world  called  Chriftian  are  really  witliout  hope. 
The  latter  are  protelTedly  fo  :  they  have  no  belief  of  a 
future  ftate,  and  have  no  hope  of  any  good  v/hich  they 
cannot  enjoy  in  this  life,  wliich  to  every  difcerning  mind 
is  nothing  but  vanity  and  vexation  of  fpirit.  Thefe 
chcofe  to  view  and  place  themfelves  in  fuch  a  low  ftate 
of  exiitence  that  they  have  no  pre-eminence  above  the 
beafts,  except  that  they  are  capable  of  fuffering  more 
pain  and  mifery  than  the  brute  creation. 

As  to  the  Deiits,  they  profefs  to  believe  there  is  a 
God ;  but  do  not  appear  to  worihip  him,  or  derive  any 
enjoyment  from  their  belief.      Many   of  them,  with. 

Atheifts, 


SeRM.    I.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  '9 

Atheifts,  do  not  believe  there  is  any  future  (late ;  but 
fay  they  exped  to  die  as  the  beafts,  and  have  no  further 
cxiftence.  Others  of  them  confider  it  as  a  tnatter  of 
uncertainty  whether  they  fliali  exift  in  a  future  ftate  or 
not ;  and  they  who  profefs  to  beheve  they  fliall  exift 
after  death,  can  give  no  fatisfaclory  account  of  the  hap- 
pinefs  they  fhall  enjoy,  nor  any  reafon  of  their  hope  of 
happinefs  in  the  forgivenefs  of  their  fins  and  the  favour 
of  God,  whom  they  have  offended.  For  reafon,  on 
which  they  depend,  affords  no  evidence  that  God  will 
forgive  them ;  but  rather  that  they  muft  fall  under  his 
difpleafure,  and  be  miferable  forever.  They  can  have 
no  hope  from  the  god  they  profefs  to  believe  exifls. 
Having  renounced  the  God  revealed  in  the  Bible,  they 
are  wholly  at  a  lofs  about  the  charafter  of  their  god. 
Some  of  them  afcribe  no  moral  charadler  to  him  ;  and 
they  who  do,  cannot  agree  in  what  it  is  ;  and  none  of 
them  can  tell  whether,  or  how  far,  men  have  any  con- 
cern in  it,  fo  as  to  have  any  influence  on  their  conduct 
or  happinefs.  So  that  they  are  all  without  any  reafon- 
abie  hope,  having  renounced  the  true  God. 

Therefore,  if  the  Chriflian  hope  be  not  founded  upon 
reafon  and  truth,  but  muft  be  given  up  as  fabulous  and 
mere  delufion,  we  are  left  without  hope,  and  we  mull 
iink  into  the  moft  gloomy  darknefs  and  defpair.     But, 

3.  We  fmd  in  the  Bible  an  exhibition  of  that  good 
which  is  fuited  to  make  us  completely  and  forever  hap- 
py, containing  all  that  we  can  defire  or  hope  for.  It 
reveals  a  moft  agreeable  and  wife  way  for  the  pardon  of 
iinners,  and  their  reconciliation  with  God,  and  to  enjoy 
his  favour  as  much,  and  to  an  hiirher  degcree,  and  be 
much  more  happy,  than  if  they  had  never  finned.  It 
contains  repeated  and  abundant  promifes  of  deliverance 
from  ail  evil,  and  the  everlaifing  enjoyment  of  the  beft 
and  higheft  good  of  which  v/e  are  or  ever  fliali  be  capa- 
ble. All  this  is  offered  and  beftowed  as  a  free  gift  on 
every  one  who  is  willing  to  receive  it,  and  afketh  for  it. 
We  will  not  enter  into  more  particulars  here  in  defcrip- 
tion  of  this  hope.  They  have  been  reprefented  in  the 
.  C  former 


10  TH2    REASON    OF    THK  SeRM,  1, 

former  part  of  this  difcourfe,  and  will  of  eourfe  come 
into  view  under  the  next  head.  Wc  will  only  obferve 
iiere,  that  the  infinite  good  cotiiprehended  in  the  fCr 
demption  of  Cnners,  which  is  the  fubject  of  the  revela- 
tion in  the  Bible,  is  the  only  proper  and  complete  object 
of  hope  that  can  be  conceived  of  or  imagined  by  a  rea- 
fonable  and  good  minei,  if  it  be  true,  and  there  is  evi- 
dence that  it  is  indeed  a  revelation  which  is  given  ta 
men  from  God,     Which  leads  us  to  fay, 

4.  There  is  clear,  moft  fatisfadory  and  abundant 
evidence^  fully  anfwerablc  to  the  nature  and  importance 
of  the  fubjeft,  that  the  Bible  is  true,  and  contains  a  re- 
velation from  God.  ., 

But  before  v/e  enter  upoii  the  diort  and  fummary  de^ 
tail  of  this  evidence  which  we  prQpofe  to  give,  the  fol- 
lowing things  will  be  mentioned. 

•  -  Though  the  evi-dence  of  the  truth  of  divine  revelation 
IS  fufficient  to  convince  the  underftanding.and  judgment 
of  thofe  who  will  fericuHy  attend  to  the  fubject,  though 
they  have  bad  hearts,  and  do  not  really  love  the  truths 
it  contains  J  yet  they  cannot  have  that  fatisfaclory  ai^ 
furance  that  it  is  from  God,  ancl  indeed  a  divine  revela- 
tion, which  thofe  of  upright  and  good  jiearts  have, 
though  their  underllandings  and  mental  pmvers  be  not 
fo  brii^ht  and  ilrong;  as  thofe  of  others  v.diofe  hearts  are 
not  good. 

It  may  alfo  be  obfcrved,  that  truths  and  objecls  of  a 
moral  andXpiritual  nature  may.be  the  objects  of  as  great 
certainty,  yea  greater,  than.  t}K)fe_  objects  and  things 
whofc  exiftence  is  knov/n  only  by  our  bodily  fenfes ;. 
fo  that  a  man  of  an  honeft  and  good  Iieart,  and  right 
tafte  and  difcerning,  would  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the 
latter,  rather  than  of  the  former,  if  one  mu{i  be  doubted 
of  and  given  up  as  not  true. 

We  would  further  obferve  here,  that  if  it  were  pofll'. 
ble  that  the  Chriflian  hope  is  a  mere  delufion,  which  we 
know  is  not  true,  and  is  impolTibie  ;  yet  vv^e.fliould  lofe 
nothina:  bv  entertainino;  it.  We  fliali  in  the  ifliie  be  as 
»well  off  as  thofe  who  have  no  hope,    if  we  iliould  ccafe 

to 


S^RM.    li  HOPE    OF    A    CHiTISTrAl?.  tt 

t'o  exift  at  deafh,  or  in  whatever  date  we  fhould  be,  we 
Ihould  not  be  in  a  worfe  ftatc  than  others,  or  than  we 
ihouid  be  had  we  not  been  Chriflians.  We  have  a  high 
enjoyment  in  cur  hope  now,  which  will  continue  as 
long  as  Vv"e  are  in  this  world.  It  is  coniiantly  better  to 
lis  than  ail  worldly  enjoyments,  and  we  iliould  be  great 
lofers  by  exchanging  it  with  the  moft  happy  worldly 
man,  for  ail  his  enjoyments.  Our  hope  is  a  conftant 
fource  of  high  enjoyment,  Avhich  unfpeakably  more  than 
counterbalances  all  the  vmeaiijiefs  and  fuiferings  which 
are  occalloned  by  it,  be  they  ever  fo  many  and  great. 
Therefore  unbelievers,  if  they  knew  we  were  deluded, 
which  theydo  not  know,  and  never  v/ill,  would  act  an 
iinreafonable,  injurious  and  cruel  part,  to  take  cur  hope 
from  us,  if  they  could,  or  even  to  attempt  it ;  for  if  this 
could  be  effected,  it  would  deprive  us  of  more  happi- 
nefs  than  they  ever  did  or  can  enjoy,  which  is  better  to 
lis  than  all  this  world.  And  we'fiiould  link  down  into 
the  moft  gloomy  ftate  of  defpair  and  mifery,  which  they 
wdio  never  had  the  Chriftian  hope  cannot  feel  or  fuffer 
while  in  this  world.  * 

Vv'e  now  return  to  the  point  propofed,  to  fpeak  of 
the  reafon  we  have  of  our  hope,  grounded  on  the  evi- 
dence that  the  gofpel  is  from  heaven,  which  amounts  to 

*  I.  Cor.  rv.  19,  "  If'mthhllfe  o>?ly  liie  hatti  hope  in  Chr'ift,  loe  are 
•^f  all  men  mofi  miferchk.'''  Thefe  words  hnve  been  underftood  by  fome 
in  a  fenfe  which  mv.y  be  thought  inconliftent  with  the  fentiments  e::- 
preffed  in  the  above  paragraph;  But  on  a  careful  examination,  the}* 
will  doubtlcfs  appear  in  perfefl:  unifon.  To  hope  m  Chrift  only  in 
this  life,  is  really  to  ;^ive  up  the  Chriftian  hope,  and  Chriftianity  it- 
felf,  as  a  grouiidlefs  fable  ;  and  confequently  to  be  deprived  of  all  the 
enjoyment  and  happinefs  derived  fron:i  Chriftianity,  and  the  Chriftian 
hope,  by  which  they  have  an  unipeakably  hi<^her  enjoyment,  and 
greater  degree  of  happinefs,  than  unbelievers  can  have.  And  as  they 
feel  tlie  vanity  of  all  things  in  this  world,  tlieir  lofs  is  irreparable,  and 
they  maft  feel  themfelves  wretched,  and  fink  into  gloom,  defpair  and 
jnifery  :  while  ^the  mea  of  the  world,  by  tlieir  ignorance,  delufiou 
and  a  virorldly  mind,  Jcnowing  no  greater  good  than  they  have  or 
lioi>e  to  obtain  in  the  enioyntents  ofthis  life,  are  eagerly  purfuing 
and  fondly  hoping  for  worldly  good  ;  by.  which  they  are,  at  prefent, 
prevented  failing  into  that  dclpaif  and  mifery,  vrhich  will  certainly 
come  upon  them/  '.vhea  this  life  fhuU  end. 

as 


it  THE    REASON    0^    THE  SerM.    T* 

as  great  denionftrative  certainty  as  there  is  or  can  be  of 
any  propofition  which  was  ever  propofed  or  thought  of. 
We  have  read  the  Bible  over  and  over  again,  and  with 
much  more  care  and  attention  than  we  beftowed  on 
any  other  book.  And  the  more  we  have  read  it,  and 
attended  to  and  underftood  the  truths  contained  in  ity 
the  more  clear  and  certain  has  the  evidence  appeared  of 
its  divine  original,  and  the  greater  plealure  we  have  had 
in  the  thinsjs  which  it  reveals. 

V\rhen  we  enter  on  this  theme,  it  is  not  cafy  to  de- 
termine v/here  to  begin,  or  where  to  end.  There  is  fo 
great  a  multiplicity  of  evidence  that  the  fcriptures  con- 
tain a  revelation  from  God,  and  the  number  of  particu- 
lars from  which  this  is  proved  is  fo  great,  that  it  would 
take  more  time  than  we  now  have,  to  mention  all  of 
them.  We  can  only  give  a  fummary  view  of  this  evi^ 
dence  nov/,  which  we  are  fure  is  a  fufficient  reafon  of 
our  hope,  of  which  we  Ihall  never  be  alhamed. 

It  is  common  and  proper  to  diftinguifli  the  evidence 
that  the  Bible  has  a  divine  original,  into  that  which  is 
called  external,  and  that  w^hich  is  internal,  conlifting  in 
the  doctrines,  truths  and  duties  which  are  revealed  and 
inculcated  therein.  We  fhall  endeavour  to  confidci 
thefe  feparately,  though  they  will  naturally,  and  per- 
haps to  the  bell  advantage,  be,  in  fome  inflances,  in  a  de- 
gree blended  together.  Certainly  the  honeft  mind  will 
view  them  together,  and  at  once,  as  ftrengthening  each 
other,  and  amounting  to  a  clear  demonftration  of  this 
truth. 

The  external  evidence  conilfls  in  the  manner  i'n  which' 
the  Chriftian  fcriptures  have  been  made,  and  given  to 
the  Vvorld  j  the  men  and  their  charadler  who  wrote 
them,  and  the  manner  of  their  writing  ;  the  miracles 
which  have  been  v/rought  in  confirmation  of  the  truth 
of  the  fads  related,  and  the  doctrines  and  comm.ands 
made  known,  and  that  they  who  fpoke  and  wrote  w^ere 
infpired  by  God  to  fpeak  and  do  what  they  did ;  the 
numerous  predictions  of  things  and  events  which  lliould 
come  to  pafo,  many  of  which  were  accomplifhed  foon, 

others 


SERMri   I.  HOP£    C?    A    CHKISTlAir.  IT 


:y 


Others  have  come  to  pafs  long  fince  they  were  predicled, 
and  many  are  fulfilling  now  before  our  eyes,  in  the  re- 
volutions which  are  taking  place,  and  the  prefent  ftatc 
of  the  nations  and  of  the  world  ;  the  fpread  of  Chrif- 
tianity  among  the  nations,  by  the  men  who  were  the 
principal  inftruments  of  propagating  it,  and  the  prefer- 
vation  and  continuance  of  it  in  the  world  to  tliis  day, 
notwithftanding  the  great  and  conilant  oppofition  to  it 
which  has  been  made. 

Thefe  are  the  chief,  but  not  all,  the  external  evi- 
dences of  the  divine  original  of  the  Bible  ;  which  muft 
be  more  particularly  conlidered.  The  men  by  whom  it 
was  written  appear  to  be  men  of  good  natural  abilities^ 
fcniible,  honeft  and  ferious,  as  men  really  infpired  by 
God  to  write  would  be.  They  were  not  a  number  of 
men  who  lived  zt  the  fame  time,  and  could  confult  to- 
gether, and  lay  a  fcheme  what  to  write  ;  but  lived  in 
different  ages,  the  laft  above  a  thoufand  years  after  the 
iirft  who  wrote.  They  do  not  appear  felfifli,  proud  and 
"vain,  to  feek  their  own  worldly  honour  or  intcreft,  but 
the  contrarv.  I'he  manner  of  their  writincr  is  inimita- 
ble,  and  differs  from  the  writings  of  all  other  men* 
This  has  been  obferved  and  illuftrated  by  many  authors, 
and  is  needlefs  for  us  to  repeat.  They  write  an  orderly 
hiftory  of  the  world  from  the  beginning  of  it  to  the 
time  of  thofe  laft  events  which  relate  to  the  fubjccls  on 
which  they  wrote.  And  this  hiftory  is  carried  on  by 
them  to  the  end  of  the  world  by  their  predictions. 
This  is  the  moft  ancient,  well  authenticated,  conliftent, 
important  and  ufeful  hiftory,  that  w^as  ever  formed  by 
uninfpired  men,  or  ever  will  or  can  be.  It  exhibits  one 
grand  fcheme  and  plan  of  events,  all  uniting  and  con- 
Ipiring  to  bring  all  things  to  the  moft  happy  iffije, 
v/orthy  of  the  infinite  Being  who  is  infinitely  powerful, 
Yvdfc  and  good.  It  is  as  really  impollible  that  any  un- 
infpired man  or  number  of  micn,  efpecially  who  lived  in 
fuch  diftant  ages  of  the  world,  fliould  make  the  writings 
which  we  find  in  the  Bible,  as  it  is  for  them  to  contrive 
and  m.ake  the  vifible  v/ovid  :  and  we  have  as  fatisfying 

evidence 


t4'  THE    fcEASOJT  Of   TH2  S^ERM.    It 

evidence  that  the  fcrlptures  contained  in  the  Bible  wer-e 
written  by  the  infpiration  of  God,  as  %ve  have  that  the 
fun,  moon  and  liars,  and  all  the  vifible  world,  were  made' 
by  him  ;  cfpecially  ii  we  take  into  view  the  fads  which 
we  are  now  going  to  mention. 

Moses,  who  was  the  firit  writer,  gave  abundant  proof 
that  what  he  wrote,  faid  and  did,  was  by  the  infpiration, 
command  and  diredion  of  the  true  God,  by  the  nume- 
rous miracles  which  he  wrought,  and  the  predictions  he 
made,  which  were  fjllilled  diredlly,  or  in  the  time  of 
his  life,  and  have  been  fmce  fulfilled.  And  here  we- 
would  obferve,  that  prophecy,  v.^hen  it  is  fulfilled,  is  a 
real  miracle,  as  abfolute,  independent  pr^fcience  is  an  in- 
communicable attribute  of  God  ;  and  when  a  man  has 
abihty  to  know  and  foretel  events  that  are  future,  this 
is  as  much  above  what  are  called  the  laws  of  nature,  as 
the  ability  to  work  any  miracle  whatever,  and  is  an  evi- 
dence of  divine  infpiration.  Therefore  miracles,  and 
prophecy  which  comes  to  pafs,  may  be  conlidered  to- 
gether, as  they  are  frequently  united  in  the  fame  event 
in  the  fcriptures.  Thus  moft  of  the  miracles  wrought 
by  Mofes  in  Egypt,  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilder- 
nefs,  during  forty  years,  were  accompanied  by  predic- 
tions of  the  miraculous  event  before  it  took  place, 
though  the  latter  was  inftantaneous  with  the  former, 
and  both  were  of  the  nature  of  a  miracle.  And  fo  were 
all  the  prophecies  of  Mofes  v/hich  have  fmce  been  ful- 
filled, by  which,  and  by  all  the  miracles  done  by  him, 
his  divine  miflion  was  fully  confirmed,  in  the  view  ojf 
the  whole  nation  of  Ifrael ;  and  this  has  been  handed 
down  through  all  ages  lince  in  the  church,  and  been 
increafmg  by  the  fulliinicnt  of  many  of  his  prophecies,- 
and  the  difcovery  of  the  import  and  defign  of  the  in- 
■ftitutions  which  he  appointed,  which  he  declared  he  re-- 
ceived  from  heaven.  And,  indeed,  all  or  moll  of  the 
ordinances  inftituted  by  Mofes  contained  predictions, 
pointing  out  the  character  of  the  Saviour  who  was  to 
come  into  the  world,  and  v/hat  was  to  be  done  and  fuf- 
fered  by  him  for  the  redemption  of  man,  wliich  were 

exactly 


Serm.  L  hope  of  a  christian.  15 

exactly  fulfilled  in  him,  together  with  all  the  prediiftions 
of  him  by  the  prophets  who  arofe  after  Mofes.  All  the 
mofaic  intlitutions,  and  all  the  miracles  he  did,  and  pre- 
dictions he  uttered,  all  the  miracles  and  prophecies  by 
the  prophets  after  Mofes,  with  all  the  events  which  took 
place,  were  deiigned  and  fuited  to  prepare  the  way  for 
that  event,  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  fo  that 
divine  defign  and  wifdom  is  to  be  feen,  by  thofe  who 
will  properly  attend,  fuperintending  through  the  whole. 
It  is  impoilible  it  Ihouid  be  a  mere  human  contrivance. 
At  the  very  time  wliich  was  pointed  out  and  fixed  by 
the  prophets  hundreds  of  years  before,  when  there  was 
eonfequently  a  general  expectation  of  the  appearance  of 
the  promifed  Saviour,  and  the  Hate  of  the  Jews  and  of 
tiie  world  was  made  ready  for  fuch  an  event,  the  ex- 
pected Mellrah  cam.e,  in  a  character  and  in  juft  fuch  cir- 
cumitances  as  were  defcribed  and  foretold  long  before 
by  the  prophets.  He  wrought  many  miracles,  by  which 
he  proved  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  very  perfon 
predicted  by  the  prophets,  and  taught  the  molt  impor- 
tant truth,  in  a  manner  which  was  never  done  by  any 
mere  man.  He  was  a  perfect  example  of  humihty, 
meeknefs,  uprightnefs,  benevolence,  wifdom  and  piety, 
and  taught,  both  by  precept  and  example,  the  nature  and 
properties  of  true  religion,  and  the  only  excellent  and 
perfect  morality.' — But  now  we  have  infeniibly  run  into 
what  properly  belongs  to  the  next  head,  of  internal 
evidence. 

He  initructed  his  difciples  into  the  meaning  of  thofe 
prophecies  v/hich  related  to  him  ;  and  from  this,  and 
acquaintance  with  him,  his  doctrines  and  precepts,  and 
the  miracles  he  wrought,  they  believed  vv-ith  all  their 
heart  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  to  come 
into  the  world.  The  body  of  the  nation  of  Jews,  efpe- 
cially  their  teachers  and  leaders,  the  fcribes  and  pha- 
rifees,  were  fo  funk  into  depravity  and  ignorance,  their 
hearts  were  fo  very  bad  and  vicious,  that  they  did  not 
underftand  the  prophecies  concerning  him  ;  nor  could 
they  approve  of  his  perfon,  chai'acter  and  doctrines,  all 

which 


l6  THE    REASON    OF    THE  SerM.   I. 

which  condemned  them  ;  but  they  hated  them  with  a 
hatred  which  could  not  be  fatisfied  till  they  had  put  him 
to  a  cruel  and  ignominious  death,  which  he  had  repeat- 
edly foretold,  and  the  confequent  deftruclion  of  that  na- 
tion, to  his  difciples,  and  the  ancient  prophets  had  pre- 
dicted. He  alfo  faid  that  he  Ihould  rife  from  death  on 
the  third  day.  But  his  enemies  had  no  expectation  or 
belief  of  this,  but  were  dil'pofed  to  reject  all  the  evidence 
that  could  be  given  of  fuch  a  fad;.  And  even  his  difci- 
ples and  friends  did  not  underftand  the  prophets  nor  the 
words  of  Chrift  on  this  point,  and  knew  not  what  to 
think  of  his  being  put  to  death  as  he  was,  and  were 
wholly  in  the  dark  as  to  the  confequence,  till  the  evi- 
dence that  he  was-  rifen  from  the  dead  was  irrefiftibly 
forced  upon  them. 

When  he  had  given  inconteftlble  evidence  of  his  re- 
fiirreclion  to  a  fufficient  number  of  chofen,  competent 
witneffes,  who  could  not  be  deceived,  and  converfed 
with  them  a  conliderable  time,  and  given  them  proper 
inftrucrions,  they  declared  that  they  faw  him  afcend  to- 
wards heaven  in  a  cloud  till  out  of  their  hght ;  and  that 
two  angels  appeared  to  them,  who  told  them  he  vi'as 
gone  to  heaven,  and  would  return  again  at  the  day  of 
juc^gm.ent.  They  retired,  and  waited  till,  as  he  had 
promifed  them,  they  received  from  heaven  miraculous 
power  to  bear  witnefs  of  his  refurreftion,  and  proclaim 
falvation  to  fmners  upon  believing  in  his  nam.e.  They 
were  foon  endued  \^'ith  power,  and  enabled  to  work 
miracles  to  prove  the  truth  of  their  teftimony  that 
Chrift  was  rifen  from  the  dead,  and  gone  to  heaven,  and 
had  commanded  them  to  preach  the  gofpel  to  the  vv'orld, 
and  that  in  this  they  faid  nothing  but  what  was  con- 
tained in  the  M'ritings  of  Mofes  and  the  prophets.  They 
Vv'ent  forth,  and,  contrary  to  all  human  probability  and 
expectation  of  the  fuccefs  of  fuch  a  fmall  num.ber  of 
poor,  low,  illiterate  men,  with  fuch  a  meffage,  fo  con- 
trary to  the  flrong  prejudices  and  prevailing  cullonis 
both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  to  the  lulls  and  evil  pro- 
penfities  vv'hich  naturally  reign  in  the  hearts  of  ail  men, 

the^ 


SeRM.    I.  HOPE    OF    A    CIiI?:ISTIAN.  1 7 

they  made  numerous  converts  to  Chriftianity,  from 
among  the  Jews  and  the  idolatrous  heathen. 

It  is  impolTible  that  thefe  facts  Ihould  take  place,  un- 
!efs  Chriftianity  were  from  heaven,  and  the  apoftles  were 
affured  that  Vv'hat  they  related  concerning  Chrift  was 
true.  That,  in  their  then  circumftances,  they  Ihould 
undertake  to  propagate  Chriftianity,  without  any  world- 
ly motives,  and  in  the  profpeft  of  poverty,  difgrace  and 
fufiering,  which  they  knew  was  as  contrary  to  the  na- 
tural inclinations  of  men  as  any  thing  can  be,  cannot  be 
accounted  for,  unlefs  on  the  fuppofition  they  knew  that 
what  they  declared  was  true,  and  moft  important  to 
themfelves  and  others,  and  that  they  could  depend  upon 
the  promife  of  Chrift  to  fupport  andfucceed  them.  And 
it  appears  to  us  that  their  fuccefs  in  propagating  Chrif- 
tianity, and  being  fupported  in  the  midft  of  oppolition. 
and  fuffering,  till  they  had  colle6ted  a  number  of  church- 
es, is  a  demonftration  that  divine  power  upheld  them, 
and  changed  the  hearts  of  men  fo  as  to  difpofe  them  to 
attend  to  and  receive  the  gofpel.  This  was  as  far  above 
all  mere  human  contrivance  and  efforts  as  is  the  produc- 
tion of  the  natural  world,  and  cannot  be  accounted  for 
without  fuppofing  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  Son  of  God, 
and  that  the  apoftles  were  enabled  to  do  thofe  crreat  and 
wonderful  things  by  his  affifting  power,  agreeable  to  the 
relation  given  of  this  matter  in  the  Bible. 

And  that  the  gofpel  has  fpread  among  the  nations, 
and  Chriftianity  has  been  continued  to  this  day,  not- 
withftanding  the  conftant  and  ftrong  oppofttion  which 
has  been  made  to  it  in  fo  many  ways,  is,  as  we  may  fay, 
a  conftant  miracle,  and  a  clear  evidence  that  it  has  a  di- 
vine original ;  and  is  a  demonftration  that  it  is  of  God, 
according  to  the  teft  propofed  by  the  good  fenfe  of  the 
learned  Gamaliel.  If  this  counfel,  or  this  work,  had' 
been  of  men,  it  would  have  com.e  to  nought  long  ago  : 
but  fince  it  has  continued  to  this  day,  and  m.en,  witli 
all  their  cunning  and  power,  with  which  they  have  in 
all  ages  attempted  it,  have  not  been  able  to  overthrow 
it,  its  divine  original  is  demoniirated,  and  it  muft  be  of 

D  God. 


aU  The  reason  of  thb  Serm.  L 

God.  And  we  are  certain  that  all  they  who  do  oppofe 
Chriftianity,  and  attempt  to  overthrow  it,  are  fighting 
againft  God,  and  will  be  difappointed  and  confounded. 

We  will  finifli  this  head  by  mentioning  the  ftate  in 
which  the  Jews  now  are,  and  have  been  lince  the  de- 
ilrudion  of  Jerufalem  and  their  temple  ;  and  the  prefent 
ftate  of  the  world  -,  which  are  agreeable  to  the  predic- 
tions in  the  Bible.  The  ftate  into  which  the  Jews  have 
fallen  in  confequence  of  the  crucifixion  of  Chrift  by 
that  nation,  who  wiflied  that  the  guilt  of  his  blood  might 
fall  on  them  and  their  pofterity,  is  agreeable  to  the  pro- 
phecies of  Mofes  and  the  other  prophets ;  to  the  pre- 
diftions  of  Chrift  and  the  apoftles  ;  and  are,  in  this  view, 
a  ftanding  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Chriftianity  :  which 
might  be  illuftrated  by  a  number  of  particulars,  had  we 
time  to  .mention  them.  Their  continuing  a  diftinct 
people  in  their  difperfion  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth  for  fo  many  ages,  which  is  a  fort  of  public,  con- 
tinual miracle,  holds  them  in  a  fituation  in  which  they 
are  prepared  for  the  vifible  accompiiftiment  of  thofe  ma- 
ny predictions  and  promifes,  which  we  find  in  the  Bible, 
'  of  mercy  in  ftore  for  them,  by  their  being  made  willing 
to  fubmit  to  Chrift,  and  come  into  his  fold,  the  Chril- 
tian  church,  with,  the  Gentiles  :  which  is  a  confirming 
evidence  ofthe  truth  of  the  goipel,  and  that  this  happy 
event  will  take  place.  And  that  the  time  is  not  far 
diftant  appears  from  other  prophecies,  and  the  prefent 
ftate  of  the  world. 

This  leads  us  to  obferve,  that  the  ftate  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  church  from  the  days  of  the  apoftics  to  this 
time,  and  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  the  ftate, 
changes  and  revolutions  of  the  nations  of  the  world, 
efpecially  fo  far  as  they  have  any  relation  to  the  church, 
are  foretold  in  the  prophetic  part  of  fcripture,  par- 
ticularly by  the  prophet  Daniel,  and  in  the  revelation 
given  to  the  apoftle  John.;  which  have  been  exactly  ful- 
filled fo  far  as  they  relate  to  the  paft  and  prefent  time. 
And  we  may  hence  rely  upon  the  accompiilliment  of  the 
•prediclions  of  the  events  which  are  yet  to  take  place. 

The 


S£RM.   Ti.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN?.  tg 

The  great  apoftacy  which  has  taken  place  in  the  church 
•of  Chrift,  by  Antichrift  or  the  Pope,  by  which  the 
church  of  Rome  is  become  a  corrupt,  falfe  church,  was 
particularly  foretold,  with  many  particular  circumftan- 
ces  relating  to  its  character,  and  treatm.ent  of  true  Chrif- 
tians,  &c.  the  rife  of  it,  and  the  time  of  its  continuance, 
and  final  overthrow.  Many  things  predicted  of  this 
falfe  church  have  already  come  to  pafs,  which  are  pub- 
licly known,  and  needlefs  for  us  now  to  mention.  It  is 
evident  that  this  falfe  church,  which  in  fcripture  is  cal- 
led a  harlot,  with  thofe  who  fupport  her,  and  all  her  ap- 
pendages, are  on  the  decline,  and  haftening  to  the  de* 
ftrudion  predicfled.  Five  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
predifted  in  the  fixteenth  chapter  of  the  prophecy  by 
John,  have  already  been  poured  out  on  her,  and  the 
fixth  vial  is  now  running,  under  which  Antichrift  is  to 
iink,  and  the  way  be  prepared  for  his  final  overthrow ; 
which  is  now  taking  place  in  fight  of  the  world.  While 
this  is  doing,  according  to  the  prophecy,  the  fpirits  of 
devils  are  to  be  let  loofe  in  the  Chriftian  world,  as  they 
never  were  before,  and  under  their  influence  all  orders 
of  men  are  to  become  exceeding  corrupt  and  wicked, 
more  generally,  and  to  a  greater  degree,  than  ever  be- 
fore, and  own  themfelves  in  oppofition  to  God  and  the 
Redeemer.  And  do  we  not  fee  this  reprefentation  fall 
fulfilling  from  year  to  year  ?  Is  it  not  known  that  in- 
fidelity, Deifm,  Atheifm,  and  all  kinds  of  grofs  error, 
and  of  vice  and  wickednefs,  which  are  the  genuine  fruits 
of  thefe,  are  rapidly  fpreading,  and  prevail  every  where  ? 
Surely  all  muft  be  fenfible  of  this  who  can  difcern  the 
figns  of  the  times.  Let  who  will-  iTiut  their  eyes,  and 
live  in  ignorance,  it  appears  to  us  a  ftriking  evidence 
that  the  events  of  this  time  are  a  fulfilment  of  the  above 
mentioned  prophecy ;  and  that,  after  the  accomplifli- 
ment  of  the  events  predicted  under  the  feventh  vial,  the 
millennium,  or  profperous  and  happy  fi:ate  of  the  church 
on  earth,  fo  much  the  fubjecl  of  prophecy,  both  in  the 
Q\d  T^ftament  and  the  New,  will  commence^ 

Havlngv, 


^O  THE    REASON    OF   THE  SeRM.   I. 

Having,  as  briefly  as  we  could,  ftated  the  leading  things 
in  which  the  external  evidence  that  the  Bible  contains  a 
revelation  from  heaven  confifts,  we  proceed  to  mention 
what  we  call  the  internal  evidence  of  the  fame  truth. 
This,  we  think,  is  more  than  anfwerable  to  the  fair  and 
promifing  outlide,  if  we  may  fo  call  it,  which  v/e  have 
been  confidering,  and  is  fuited  to  eftablifti  every  honeft 
and  good  heart  in  aflurance  that  the  gofpel  is  of  God. 

The  Bible  reveals  the  being,  perfections,  works  and 
deligns  of  God,  and  fets  them  in  a  more  grand,  impor- 
tant, rational  and  defirable  light,  than  ever  has  or  could 
be  difcovered  by  uninfpired  men,  or  has  been  conceived 
by  any  man  who  is  not  acquainted  with  the  Bible.  God 
is  here  reprefented  as  without  beginning  to  exift,  om- 
nipotent, omnifcient,  omniprefent,  infinitely  and  un- 
changeably wife  and  good,  juft,  true  and  faithful ;  as 
the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  conftantly  upholding, 
directing  and  governing  them  in  ail  their  revolutions 
and  motions  ;  all  which  are  included  in  a  moil  wife  plan 
of  operation,  which  has  been  fixed  by  him  from  eterni- 
ty, is  endlefs,  abfolutely  perfect,  and  immutable  ;  that 
he  exercifes  a  moll  perfect  and  wife  moral  government 
over  all  his  rational  creatures,  to  whom  he  gives  a  na- 
tural capacity  of  moral  action,  and  obedience  to  all  his 
laws,  which  are  perfect,  juft  and  good.  The  law  of  God 
refpe£ls  and  requires  a  perfectly  right  difpofition  and  ex- 
ercifes toward  him  and  all  fellow  creatures  ;  to  love  him 
with  all  the  heart,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourfelves.  It 
allures  favour  and  happinefs  to  the  perfe6tly  obedient, 
and  curfes  the  difobedient,  with  a  curfe  which  implies 
endlefs  deftru6tion.  In  Ciort,  the  Bible  reveals  fuch  3. 
God  as  muft  be  moft  pleafing  and  defirable  to  every  per- 
fectly innocent  and  good  mind.  Such  have  all  they  can 
defire  or  v/ifh  for  in  fuch  a  God,  fuch  a  law  and  moral 
government  ;  therefore  to  them  he  is  the  only  true 
God,  and  their  chofen  portion  and  happinefs ;  while 
they  know  that  all  the  notions  that  have  been  enter- 
tained of  the  Divine  Character  and  his  law  by  thofe  who 
have  not  taken  them  from  the  Bible,  and  are  not  con- 
fiilent  with  it,  are  erroneous,  fooliih  and  wicked. 

The 


SeRM.    L  hope    CF   a    CHRISTIAIT.  2t 

The  Bible  gives  a  particular  and  rational  account  of 
the  creation  of  this  vifible  world,  which  is  no  where 
clfe  to  be  found  ;  and  of  the  creation  of  man,  by  making 
one  man  and  one  woman,  from  whom  all  mankind  de- 
fcendcd.  It  relates  the  iin  and  apoftacy  of  thefe  firft: 
created  parents  of  the  human  race,  and  how,  by  this, 
total  moral  depravity  and  fmfulnefs  came  upon  all  their 
children,  by  Vv^hich  they  are  all,  in  their  natural  ftate, 
under  the  curfe  of  the  law  of  God.  That  all  men  are 
by  nature  depraved  and  linful,  is  a  fa£t:  evident  to  all 
who  attend  to  the  matter ;  but  how  and  in  what  way 
they  are  become  fo,  none  have  been  able  to  give  any 
good  reafon,  who  have  not  been  acquainted  with  the 
Bible,  or  have  rejected  the  account  that  gives  of  it, 
which  appears  rational,  confiftent  and  fatisfaftory  to 
thofe  who  have  an  upright  and  good  heart,  and  even  to 
the  fober  reafon  of  all  who  examine  it  without  a  great 
degree  of  prejudice  and  pride. 

But  the  Bible  reveals  that  which  is  infinitely  more  im- 
portant to  us,  and  to  mankind,  which  never  could  have 
been  known  or  thought  of  by  any  creature,  had  not 
God  revealed  it.  Ihis  is  the  o'reat  defisin  and  work  of 
the  redemption  of  man  by  Jefus  Chrift,  the  Son  of  God; 
which  is  the  great  fubjed:  of  revelation,  as  the  whole 
has  reference  to  this,  and  v.'ould  be  necdlefs  in  any  other 
view.  This  fixes  a  divine  ftamp  on  the  whole,  as  it 
makes  a  more  clear,  full  and  wonderful  manifeftation 
and  difplay  of  the  divine  perfections,  power,  wifdom, 
holinefs,  goodnefs,  juftice,  truth,  grace  and  mercy,  than 
otherwife  could  have  been  done ;  which  cannot  be 
known  by  thofe  who  never  her.rd  of  this  revelation,  or 
who  reject  it  as  not  com.ing  from  God. 

In  the  gofpei  all  mankind  are  reprefented  as  finners, 
tranfgrefibrs  of  the  law  of  God,  and  under  the  curfe  of 
it.  And  a  way  is  opened  by  Vv'hich  linners  may  be  de- 
livered from  this  curie,  and  be  recovered  to  holinefs,  the 
favour  of  God,  and  eternal  life,  coniiitent  with  main- 
taining and  honouring  the  law  of  God,  and  difplaying 
his  juftice  and  truth,  his  hatred  of  im,  and  difpofilion  to 

punilh 


22  THE    REASON   OF   TH^  S'erM.   It" 

punifli  it.  This  has  been  efFecled  by  the  incarnation  of 
the  Son  of  God,  who  is  really  God  manifeft  in  the  flefh  ; 
who  by  his  fullering  unto  death  in  the  flelh,  and  paying 
perfed  obedience  to  the  law,  for  man,  and  in  his  ftead, 
has  fo  honoured  the  law,  both  the  precepts  and  penalty 
of  it,  that  God  may  be  juit,  according  to  the  true  fpirit 
and  delign  of  it,  and  pardon  and  juftify  iinners  who  ap- 
prove of  the  character  and  works  of  the  Mediator,  and 
trull  in  him.  This  is  the  fum  of  the  matter,  which 
might  be  enlarged  upon,  and  illuftrated  without  end. 
But  we  ftiall  only  fay  now,  that  to  us  the  wifdom  and 
all  the  perfeftions  of  God  are  difplayed  in  the  gofpel  ; 
that  this  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  lite,  and  that  with 
good  reafon,  and  with  the  moil  perfect  fafety,  we  may 
place  our  highefl  hopes  on  this  fure  foundation. 

The  difciples  of  Jefus  appear  to  give  a  fair  and  honeft 
kiftory  of  what  he  faid  and  did,  and  of  the  treatment  he  re- 
ceived. They  neither  give  him  or  themfelves  any  praife, 
encomiums  or  flattering  titles.  They  only  relate  facls 
refpecling  him,  themfelves  and  his  friends  and  enemies, 
without  making  any  refleclions  in  his  or  their  own  fa- 
vour, or  againft  his  enemies.  They  relate  their  own 
faults,  without  offering  any  palliation  or  excufe.  No 
uninfpired  writer  ever  did,  or  could,  or  ever  will,  write 
a  hiftory  of  any  particular  perfon,  or  of  fo  many  impor- 
tant and  extraordinary  events,  in  which  he  is  as  much 
interefted,  as  thofe  who  wrote  the  hiftorical  part  of  the 
New  Teilament  were  in  the  facts  which  they  relate,  in 
the  manner  in  which  they  have  written.  Chrift  uni- 
formly fpake  and  afted  with  a  dignity,  condefcenlion, 
ferioufnefs,  wifdom  and  prudence  whch  became  a  per- 
fon of  the  character  which  he  fuftained,  and  'the  work 
he  came  into  the  world  to  perform.  He  never  erred 
or  made  the  lead  miftake  in  all  he  faid  and  did. 

Chrill  taught  the  moil  fublime,  important  and  pure 
clo(5lrines,  refpecling  God  and  the  Hate  of  man,  the  way 
of  his  recovery  to  the  favour  of  God,  to  holinefs  and 
true  happinefs,  and  in  what  thefe  confift.  He  taught 
that  God  was  fovercign  and  independent  in  beilowing- 

his 


SfiRM.   I.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  aj 

his  mercy  on  men ;  that  he  had  mercy  on  whom  h« 
pleafed,  for  which  men  depend  wholly  on  him  ;  that  all 
men  were  fo  wholly  depraved  and  wicked  at  heart,  that 
■they  refufed  to  come  to  the  light  when  fet  before  them  ; 
that  they  hated  the  light ;  yea,  that  they  hated  him  and 
God  his  Father,  and  continued  to  do  fo,  till  they  were 
born  again  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  a  new,  obe- 
dient heart  was  given  ;  that  previous  to  this  they  did 
not  underiland  or  fee  the  things  of  the  Spirit  and  king- 
dom of  God  ;  therefore  ail  who  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  and  embrace  the  gofpel,  are  taught  of  God  ; 
in  which  he  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy, 
making  the  diftinction  according  to  the  dictates  of  hi$ 
wifdom  and  goodnefs,  what  will  be  beft  to  promote 
the  higheft  good  of  the  univerie,  v.'hich  cannot  bs 
done  by  the  falvation  of  all.  This  is  clearly  and  con- 
cifely  exprefled  by  Chrift :  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  fhall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometli  to  me  I  will 
?.n  no  wife  caft  out.'*  This  recommends  the  gofpel  to 
us  as  true  and  from  heaven,  as  confiftent  and  moll  ex- 
icellent ;  as  no  man  or  fet  of  men,,  uninfpired,  v./ould 
have  reprefented  mankind  in  fo-  ba^d  a  light,  and  fo  de- 
pendent on  God  for  a  new  and  better  heart ;  or  that 
every  thing  and  circumilance  relating  to  the  falvation  of 
men  is  under  the  direction  of  Infinite  Wifdom  and 
Goodnefs  j  all  which  is  clearly  taught  in  the  Bible. 

This  leads  us  to  fay,  that  the  gofpel  appears  tons  evi- 
dently of  divine  original,  and  we  are  fure  that  it  is  not 
of  man,  becaufe  it  reprefents  man  as  fo  infinitely  guilty, 
odious  and  ill-deferving,  that  he  cannot  recommend  him- 
felf  to  the  leaft  favour  by  any  thing  he  can  do  or  iuifcr  ; 
and  that  it  is  unbecoming  the  holy  and  juft  God  to  par- 
don and  fave  him  out  of  refpe^l  to.  any  thing  good  and 
defer ving  in  him,  bnt  purely  on  the  account  of  the 
atonement,  righteoufnefs  and  infmlte  worthinefs  of  a 
Mediator,  to  whom  the  unworthy  iinner  is  united  by 
faith  :  fo  that  the  falvation  of  men,  from  the  founda- 
tion to  the  top-flone,  from  beginning  to  the  end,  is  o£ 
^aercj  fovercign.  wonderful  mercy  and  grace,  by  which 

Hi  an 


!^4  •  THE    REASON    CF    THE  S£B.M.    t, 

man  is  thoroughly  abafed  and  humbled,  and  his  flilva- 
tion  muil  be  afcribed,  not  in  the  ieaft  to  himfeif,  but 
wholly  to  the  undeferved,  fovereign  grace  of  God. 
This  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  law  of  God,  and  the 
linful,  guilty  ftate  of  man  ;  and  there  is  no  other  pofiible 
way  in  which  he  could  be  faved,  confiftent  with  the  di- 
vine law,  and  the  guilty  ftate  of  man.  It  is  impoffible 
that  this  ihould  be  the  contrivance  of  man,  as  it  is  di- 
rectly contrary  to  his  thoughts  and  reigning  difpofition, 
and  is  the  principal  reafon  of  the  oppolition  men  make 
to  the  gofpel,  and  why  none  will  cordially  embrace  it 
till  they  have  a  new  heart,  a  heart  to  confefs  their  fms, 
and  humble  themfelves  in  the  iight  of  God,  and  receive 
offered  mercy  as  a  free,  undeferved  gift  to  the  infi- 
nitely guilty  and  wretched,  and  v%^ith  pleafure  afcribe  all 
the  honour  and  glory  of  tlieir  falvation  to  God  alone  ^ 
by  which  they  are  prepared  to  enjoy  true  happinefs,  of 
which  they  were  before  wholly  ignorant  and  deilitute. 
We  have  another  all-convincins:  evidence  that  the 
gofpel  is  true,  and  has  a  divine  original,  from  the  du- 
ties and  the  nature  of  the  religion  taught  and  enjoined 
by  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  which  are  different  from  any 
thing  of  this  kind  recommended  by  men  not  infpired, 
and  in  many  refpecfs  contrary  thereto.  The  Bible  teach- 
es that  all  true  religion  has  its  beginning  in  the  heart  of 
man,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  confifts  in  fupreme  love  to 
him,  and  unreferved  devotednefs  to  his  honour  and  in- 
tereft  in  all  our  exercifes  and  conduct,  which  implies 
conftant  devotion  in  prayer  and  praife,  and  a  religious  ac- 
knowledgment of  him  at  all  times,  and  in  the  proper  fea- 
fons  of  public  and  ibcial  vv^orfhip,  as  v^eli  as  that  which 
is  more  private  and  fecret.  Chrift  faid,  men  muft  deny 
themfelve>,  and  forfake  all  they  had,  for  his  fake,  in  or- 
der to  be  his  true  difcipies  ;  that  they  muft  be  humble, 
meek,  upright  and  benevolent,  even  towards  their 
worft  enemies  ;  do  them  all  the  good  in  their  power, 
and  pray  for  them  :  forgive  thofe  who  injured  them, 
and  indulge  no  difpofition  to  retaliate  and  avenge  them- 
felves ;  but  be  harmlefs,  and  injure  no  man.     In  fum, 

the 


c 


SeRM.    I.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  1$ 

the  religion  and  morality  taught  in  the  Bible,  efpecially 
by  ChriU  and  his  apoflles,  is  as  much  fuperior,  in  its  rea- 
fonablenefs  and  excellence,  to  any  thing  of  the  kind 
which  has  been  taught  by  men  who  have  not  derived 
their  fentiments  from  revelation,  as  light  is  to  darknefs, 
and  is  perfectly  fuited  to  make  thofe  who  heartily  em- 
brace it  and  conform  to  it  happy  in  this  world  and  for- 
ever. And  we  mull  further  obferve,  that  the  religion 
and  morality  inculcated  in  the  Bible  is  urged  by  the 
ftrongeft  motives,  not  only  as  moil  reafonable,  and 
tending  to  render  fociety  happy  in  this  world  ;  but  as 
it  is  enjoined  by  divine  authority,  with  the  promife  of 
eternal  happinefs  to  all  who  obey,  and  an  awful  threat- 
ening of  endlefs  punifliment  to  all  others  ;  in  which  op- 
polite  flates  ail  ihall  be  hxed  at  the  great  day  of  general 
judgment. 

We  have  now,  in  a  fummary  way,  given  the  reafons 
of  our  belief  and  affurance  that  the  Bible  contains  a  di- 
vine revelation,  and  of  our  hope  in  CliriiL.  We  fee 
enough  in  him  to  fatisfy  us,  even  all  we  can  wifli,  or 
hope  for,  or  defire ;  enough  to  make  us  happy,  beyond 
our  prefent  conception,  in  his  eternal  kingdom  ;  and 
not  us  only,  but  all  -that  fliall  believe  on  him,  which  we 
would  earneftly  urge  on  all  thofe  to  \'\'hom  we  have  ac- 
cefs  ;  knowing  that  all  who  believe  lliall  be  faved,  and  all 
who  do  not  believe  on  him  ihall  be  damned.  . 

We  are  fenfible  that  Chriiiianity  has  been  greatly  op- 
poied  in  all  ages  fmce  its  inftitution,  and  m^uch  has  been 
written,  and  many  objections  have  been  made,  againft 
it,  by  men  of  great  parts  and  learning,  which  have  been 
fully  and  abundantly  refuted  by  Chriitian  writers,  fome 
of  whole  writings  we  have  feen.  We  know  alfo  that 
infidelity  has  greatly  increafed  of  late,  and  is  now  in- 
creafmg  ;  and  that  many,  who  profefs  to  believe  Chrif- 
tianity  to  be  true,  are  rejefting  the  moft  ellential  doc- 
trines of  it,  and  there  arc  manv  others  v»'ho  do  not  cor- 
dially  embrace  it,  or  live  anfwerable  to  the  precepts  of 
it.  But  this  is  fo  far  from  m.aking  us  hefitate,  or  abat- 
ing our  belief  and  confidence  of  the  truth  of  it,  that 

E  v.- a 


126  THE    REASON    OF   THE  SeRM.  '1. 

we  conflder  it  as  a  confirmation  that  it  is  from  God. 
For  if  mankind  be  fo  corrupt  and  wicked  as  to  be  ene- 
mies to  the  true  God,  which  the  Bible  allerts,  and  i^ 
proved  by  their  general  conduct,  then  they  muft  dillike 
and  be  enemies  to  all  the  manifeftations  of  his  character, 
and  whatever  he  requires  as  moft  agreeable  to  him.  Be- 
fides,  the  Bible  relates  many  inflances  of  this  oppofitioii 
to  the  truth,  and  predicts  that  the  gofpel  would  be  op- 
pofed  an3.  rejected  by  men.  Chrift  fays  to  his  difciples, 
"  Behold,  I  fend  you  forth  as  flieep  in  the  midft  of  wolves, 
and  ye  fiiall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  fake." 
And  the  Bible  fays,  "  The  time  will  cosne,  when  men 
will  not  endure  found  doctrine  ;  and  fhall  turn  away 
their  ears  from  the  truth,  and  iliall  be  turned  unto  fa- 
bles." And  it  has  been  obferved,  that  the  prefent  infide- 
lity and  wickcdnefs  which  prevail  in  Chriftendom  is 
particularly  predicted  in  the  Bible.  Notwithftanding 
all  this,  we  know  the  truth  of  the  gofpel  is  great,  and 
will  overcome  j  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  iliall  not  pre- 
vail againft  it. 

Vinaily  :  We  know  that  the  Bible  could  not  be  in- 
vented and  forged  by  diilioneit,  wicked  m.en  ;  for  this 
is  for  many  reafons  not  only  improbable,  but  impoili- 
ble.  And  we  know  that  no  honeft,  good  men  would 
have  any  hand  in  it,  if  it  were  a  forgery.  It  follows 
that  the  very  exiftence  of  it,  in  the  form  in  which  it  is, 
is  a  demonftration  that  it  came  from  God,  and  was 
written  by  divine  infpiration.  We  have  as  great  and 
full  evidence  of  this,  .yea,  gi'eater,  than  wc  have  of  the 
exiftence  of  the  vifible  world,  or  of  any  thing  which  we 
perceive  by  our  bodily  fenfes.* 

*  The  above  evidences  of  the  truth  and  divine  origin  of  Chrlftianf- 
'ty,  it  is  fuppofed  every  Chriftian  is,  or  ought  to  be,  able  to  produce 
on  all  proper  occafions.  Others  are  omitted,  together  with  anfwers 
to  the  objections  which  are  made  to  the  Bible,  becaufe  every  Chrif- 
tian may  not  be  fuppofed  able  readily  to  exhibit  them.  A  more  am- 
ple and  able  vindication  of  Ghriftianity  is  contained  in  Dr.  Trum- 
bull's Tavehe  Sermons  on  the  Divine  Origin  cf  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
Mr.  Fuller's  treatife  entitled,  C/jrlJlianify  its  civn  Evidence,  &c  ;  both 
•which  are  recommended  as  vrorihv  of  the  perufal  oi  all. 

SERMON 


pennon  ii. 

The  fame  Subject  continued; 


i^  Peter,  iii.  15.  ^''?<^  he  ready  always  to  ghe  an  anfwer 
to  every  inan  that  afhcth  you  a  rcafon  of'  the  hope  that  it 
in  you^  with  inecknefs  and  fear. 

SECONDLY.  Ghriftians,  in  giving  the  reafon  of  the 
hope  that  is  in  them,  mull  give  the  reafon,  not  on- 
ly of  their  belief  and  aiTurance  that  the  gofpel  is  true, 
and  a  revelation  from  heaven  ;  but  alfo  the  reafon  of 
their  hope  that  they  do  cordially  embrace  it,  and  are  in- 
terefted  in  all  the  bleilmgs  -  which  are  promifed  to  all 
true  believers.  When  they,  in  proper  times  and  cir- 
cumftances,  arc  alked  the  reafon  of  this  their  hope,  by 
thofe  who  appear  to  vv^ant  information,  and  to  have  a  ■ 
right  to  it,  and  it  may  promote. a  good  and  important 
end,  they  can  make  the  following  anfwer. 

We  all  hope  that  we,  are  friends  to  Chrilt,  and  are  in- 
terefted  in  the  promifes  he  has  made  to  thofe  who  believe 
in  him.  But  our  hope  is  ftronger  or  weaker  at^different 
times,  according  to  the  ftrength  and  conftancy,  or  weak- 
nefs  and  inconftancy,  of  our  religious  cxercifes,  and  the 
confcioufnefs  v/e  have  of  them,  and  the  fight  of  our  own 
hearts.  VnTc  fometimes  attain  a  degree  of  ail'urance,  or 
that  confidence  which  excludes  ail  fenilble  doubts.;  but 
many  of  us,  perhaps  the  mod,  have  often  many  doubts, 
and  forne  of  us  have  generallv  m.any  doubts  and  fears. 
Others  are  generally  more  confident,  and  feldom  if  ever 
doubt  of  their  beincr  real  Chriftians.  VVhat  is- the  caufe 
of  this  difference  it  is  impoiTible  for  us  to  determine  ;> 
at  Icaft  in  many  cafes.  But  this  v/e  are  confident  of, 
that  it  is  owing  to  our  imperfcclion  in  knowledge,  dif- 
cerning,  or  Cjiriftlan  exercifes,  if  we  be  real  Chriflians, 
that  we  have  the  leail  doubt  cf.it,  and  do  not  always  en- 
joy.. 


■zS  The  reason  of  thz  Slrm.  IL 

■joy  an  alTurance  that  we  are  friends  to  Chrlft.  At  the 
fame  time  we  believe  that  the  reafon  why  feme  real 
Chriftians  do  not  admit  a  doubt  of  their  being  Chrif- 
tians,  is,  their  imperfection  in  knowledge,  difcerning, 
and  Chriilian  experience.  There  are  others  who  profefs 
to  be  affured  conftantly,  without  one  doubt  for  a  long 
courfe  of  years,  that  they  are  Chriftians,  and  ihall  be  fav- 
ed,  whofe  life  and  converfation  difcover  that  they  know 
not  v/hat  it  is  to  be  a  real  Chriftian.  But  we  will  prc*- 
ceed  to  give  the  reafon  of  our  hope. 

In  the  firft  place  we  would  obferve,  that  we  truft  we 
have  been  convinced  of  lin,  and  reproved  for  it,  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  as  none  are  but  thofe  to  whom  he  applies 
the  benefits  of  redemption.  Antecedent  to  our  hearts 
being  renewed  by  divine  power  to  new  and  gracious  ex- 
ercifes,  we  were,  the  moft  of  us,  if  not  all,  brought  to  a 
degree  of  painful  conviction  of  our  fmful  and  miferable 
condition,  which  we  believe  is  the  way  v/hich  God  com- 
monly takes  with  thofe  whom  he  defigns  to  fave.  But 
as  fuch  conviction,  and  the  exercifes  that  accompany  it, 
are  fo  different  in  different  perfons,  as  to  their  degree, 
the  length  of  their  continuance,  the  attempts  and  exer- 
tions they  make  to  help  themfelves,  and  the  particular 
means  by  which  they  have  taken  place  and  continued  ; 
we  fhall  not  try  to  give  account  of  them,  which  every 
one  may  do  for  himfelf,  when  it  may  be  convenient. 
Befides,  it  would  be  deviating  from  our  prefent  purpofe, 
which  is,  to  give  the  reafon  of  our  hope  that  we  are 
Chriftians,  to  enter  into  a  defcription  of  the  convictions 
of  which  the  unregenerate  may  be  the  fubjects.  For  no 
convictions  or  exercifes  which  take  place  in  the  mind  of 
a  finner,  antecedent  to  his  regeneration,  or  his  having  a 
new  heart,  can  be  any  fcriptural  evidence  that  he  ever 
will  be  renewed  and  become  a  Chriftian.  There  is  no 
connection  in  nature,  or  by  the  declarations  and  promif- 
es  of  fcripture,  between  any  convictions  and  exercifes  of 
the  unrea:eneratc,  and  their  becomins;  Chriftians.  In 
any  ftage  or  degree  of  their  convictions,  change  of  fenii- 
ments,  or  external  reformation,  all  may  come  to  a  full 

Itop, 


Serm.  K.  hope  of  a  christiatt.  29 

flop,  and  be  loft ;  or,  if  tliey  continue  in  any  degree, 
they  may  never  iffue  in  a  true  converfion.  We  there- 
fore mean  to  fpeak  only  of  that  conviction  of  lin,  and 
humiliation  for  it,  which  is  an  evidence  of  our  being  re- 
generated, as  it  can  take  place  only  in  a  renewed  heart, 
and  is  connected  with  falvation. 

Our  eyes  have  been  opened  to  fee  that  the  law  of 
God,  which  requires  our  obedience  to  it,  refpects  the 
heart  and  every  motion  and  exercife  of  it  which  is  of  a 
moral  nature,  requiring  that  they  all  Ihould  be  perfectly 
right  and  in  conformity  to  it,  and  forbidding  every  thing 
contrary  to  this  rectitude  of  heart,  on  pain  of  eternal 
punilliment ;  that  this  law  is  perfectly  right  and  good 
in  all  the  requirements  and  threatenings  of  it.  This  has 
been  attended  with  a  conviction  of  the  exceeding  wick- 
cdnefs  of  our  hearts,  being  wholly  contrary  to  the  law 
of  God,  and  the  fource  of  every  thing  wrong  in  our 
outward  actions.  We  could  not  but  approve  of  the 
law  as  right,  holy  and  good,  and  felt  that  we  were 
wholly  blam.eable  for  every  thing  in  our  heart  and  life 
contrary  to  this  law,  and  were  wholly  without  excufe. 
Our  heart  appeared  to  us  to  be  naturally  wholly  deprav- 
ed and  wicked,  and  all  lin  againft  God  fo  infinitely 
criminal  and  vile,  and  we  fo  unfpeakably  guilty,  having 
done  nothing:  but  linnins;  asrainft  God  and  his  law,  tliat 
we  felt  and  acknowleds^ed  from  the  heart  that  we  de- 
ferved  to  have  the  penalty  of  the  law  executed  upon  us, 
that  God  would  be  juft  and  glorious  in  doing  it,  and  we 
muft  juftify  him  in  it,  and  remain  forever  without  the 
leaft  reafon  of  complaint.  Thus  we  fubmitted  to  God, 
and  accepted  the  punifliment  of  our  iniquity,  and  felt  a 
calmnefs  and  pleafure  we  never  experienced  before,  in 
viewing  with  delijrht  the  divine  charafter  exhibited  in 

^  or  O 

his  lavv',  and  works  of  creation  and  providence.  We 
knew  our  heart  to  be  naturally  fo  totally  depraved  and 
wicked,  hard,  obftinate  and  impenitent,  that  it  would 
never  be  made  better  by  us,  or  by  any  means  or  crea- 
ture, unlefs  it  were  rene\\cd  by  the  almighty  povv'cr  of 
Cod,  which  he  v/as  binder  no  obligation  to  do  ;  that  we 

were 


50  THE    REASON    OF    THE  SeRM.    IL 

were  utterly  undone  and  loft  in  ourfelves,  that  we  were 
in  the  hands  of  God,  as  the  clay  is  in  the  hand  of  the  pot- 
ter, to  deal  with  us  according  to  his  fovercign  pleafure  • 
and  we  heartily  acquiefced  in  this,  in  being  thus  de- 
pendent on  hini..  And  when  we  were  brought  to  a. 
more  particular  and  realizing  view  of  Chrift,  and  the  way 
of  faivation  by  him,  (of  which  we  fhall  fpeak  prefently) 
©ur  iins  and  the  evil  that  is  in  our  heart  appeared  in  a 
worfe  light  to  us,  and  unfpeakably  aggravated,  in  that 
it  was  ncccffary  that  Chrift  Ihouid  fufter  fo  much  to 
make  atonement  for  fm,  in  which  fuch  great  and  afto- 
niftiing  love  to  ftnners  was  manifefted.  Our  abufe  of  the 
gofpel,  and  difpofition  to  flight  and  reject  Jefus  Chrift, 
of  which  we  had  been  a6tually  guilty  in  ways  and 
inftances  innumerable,  appeared  to  us  great  and  aggra- 
vated beyond  defcription,  and  difcovered  the  exceeding 
malignity  and  bafenefs  of  our  heart ;  the  wickednefs  and 
obftinacy  in  refufmg  to  accept  Chrift  offering  himfelf 
clothed  with  love  and  faivation.  Oh,  who  can  exprefs 
or  fully  conceive  of  the  magnitude  and  aggravations  of 
the  iin  of  impenitence  and  unbelief,  of  which  they  are 
guilty  who  live  under  th^  gofpel,  and  will  not  embrace 
It! 

Thus  we  have  been  convinced  of  iin,  and  reproved. 
for  it,  and  we  truft  have  fubmittcd  to  the  reproof  in  the 
exercife  of  repentance,  condemnation,  fliame  and  abhor- 
rence of  ourfelves.  We  think  this  is  defcribed  by  Clu-ift 
when  he  fays,  "  And  when  he  is  come  (that  is,  the  Holy 
Spirit)  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  fm  :  of  fm,  becaule 
they  believe  not  on  me."  And  here  we  would  obferve, 
that  this  conviction  of  fm,.  from  the  beginning  of  it,  and 
in  its  progrefs,  has  been  attended  with  an  evidence  to 
us  that  the  Bible  is  true  and  from  God,  in  that  it  de- 
fcribes  the  charafter  of  man  to  be  the  lame  which  vv'e 
found  ours  to  be,  when  we  faw  the  depravity  and  wick- 
ednefs of  our  hearts.  This  defcription  is  given  in  the 
relation  of  the  fafts  by  which  men  in  difierent  circum- 
ftances  have  in  all  generations  acted  out  and  difcovered 
the  depravity  and  great  degree  of  wickednefs  of  their 

hearts-,.. 


'Serm.  II.  hope  of  a  christian.  31 

hearts,  and  in  the  many  particular  aiTertions  of  the  great 
and  total  depravity  of  the  human  heart.  And  the  gol- 
pel  is  founded  on  this,  that  mankind  are  all  fmners  to 
luch  a  degree  that  they  are  wholly  loft  and  undone,  dead 
•in  trefpall'es  and  hn,  enemies  to  God,  and  under  the 
curfe  of  the  law,  which  is  vindicated  and  honoured,  both 
in  the  commands  and  threatenings  of  it,  by  the  gofpel : 
and  it  aflerts  that  man  is  naturally  fo  under  the  power 
of  fm  that  he  hates  the  light  of  truth,  and  will  not  come 
to  it,  but  choofes  to  remain  in  the  darknefs  of  fin,  till  he 
is  born  from  above,  and  has  a  new  heart  given  to  him. 
We  are  alTured  that  no  men  not  infpired  by  God  would 
have  w^ritten  fuch  a  book,  which  reprefents  man  in  a 
light  fo  contrary  to  what  men  naturally  think  of  them- 
felves,  or  ever  would  have  thought  of  it.  We  are  fen- 
lible  that  our  ignorance  of  ourfelves,  before  we  were  con- 
vinced of  our  own  finfulnefs,  as  we  have  been  dcfcribing 
it,  was  the  ground  of  our  ignorance  of  the  Bible,  and  our 
criminal  diiregard  to  it,  and  by  this  conviclion  we  have 
been  confirmed  in  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  as  we 
€iever  were  before.  And  \vq  are  certain  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  all  the  profefied  and  open  infidelity,  or  fe- 
cret  difbelief  of  the  truth  of  the  gofpel,  is  owing  to  a 
want  of  a  true  and  real  convi<ftion  of  lin.  And  in  this 
view,  we  do  not  wonder  at  their  unbelief ;  for  how  can 
they  v/ho  are  fo  wholly  ignorant  of  their  own  moral 
character,  and  of  their  ftanding  in  any  need  of  the  pro- 
vifion  made  in  the  gofpel,  believe  and  embrace  it  ?  How 
can  they  believe  wdio  are  proud,  and  have  fo  high  an 
opinion  of  themfelves,  and  fcek  honour  one  of  another  ? 
As  well  may  they  who  feel  themfelves  perfeclly  found 
and  w^hole,  think  they  w^ant  a  phyfician. 

We  would  obferve  further,  that  the  convidian  of  fm 
and  reproof  for  it  has  not  been  a  traniient  thing,  wiiicii 
foon  palled  aw^ay  and  was  forgotten  :  contrary  to  this,  it 
abides  by  us,  continues  and  increafes.  Our  hope  of  par- 
don of  all  our  fins,  and  of  falvation  by  Chrift,  does  not 
abate,  but  increafes  it.  We  lee  more  and  m.orc  the  evil 
nature  of  fm,  and  the  ill  defert  of  it,  as  wq  increafe  in 

our 


32  THE    REASON    Ol^    THE  SeRM.    II, 

our  fenfe  of  the  righteoufnefs  and  excellency  of  the  law" 
of  God,  the  wifdom  of  the  gofpel,  and  the  worthinefs 
and  glory  of  God  and  the  Redeemer.  And  we  daily 
fee  more  and  more  of  the  fmfulnefs  of  our  own  hearts, 
our  indwelling  depravity,  that  fin  cleaves  to  us  in  all  our 
cxercifes,  and  defiles  them.  We  have  an  increafing  fenfe 
of  our  defert  of  everlafting  deftruclion  ;  of  our  conftant 
and  abfolute  dependence  on  Chrift,  his  atonement  and 
righteoufnefs,  for  pardon  and  juftification,  and  to  re- 
new our  hearts,  and  for  every  right  thought  and  exer- 
cife,  of  which  ailiftance  and  grace  we  are  infinitely  un- 
worthy ;  therefore,  if  we  fliall  be  faved,  it  muft  be  all 
of  free,  undeferved  grace.  This  convidlion  and  fenfe  of 
lin,  and  of  our  own  heipleffnefs  and  infinite  unworthi- 
nefs,  accompanies  all  our  exercifes  of  religion  and  piety, 
as  effential  to  them,  and  increafes  as  we  grow  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus 
Chrift. 

We  proceed  to  fay,  Vv'-hen  we  were  led  to  a  particular 
view  of  Jefus  Chrift,  his  character,  work  and  defign,  all 
this  appeared  as  a  reality,  and  the  wifdom,  love  and  grace 
of  God  fliined  in  him  and  the  way  of  faivation  by  him,  in 
a  new,  frlorious  and  affeftin^  lioht.  And  we  could  not 
but  highly  approve  of  all  this,  and  the  whole  character 
of  Chrift,  and  were  filled  with  wonder  and  pleafure. 
We  faw  there  was  all  fulnefs  in  Chrift,  enough  to  iupply 
every  want  of  fuch  fmners  as  we  were ;  that  there  was 
every  thing  in  him  that  we  could  defire,  and  nothing 
undefirable  ;  and  that  all  he  has  for  finners  is  freely  of- 
fered, without  money  and  without  price,  to  all  who  are 
willing  to  accept  of  it.  This  view  and  fenfe  of  heart  of 
the  truth  of  the  gofpel,  and  of  the  worthinefs  and  excel- 
lence of  Chrift,  and  approbation  of  his  character,  and 
the  way  of  faivation  by  him,  is  fo  fixed  in  our  hearts, 
that  we  have  never  loft  it,  though  it  is  fometimes  more 
clear,  imprcilive  and  aflfecling  than  at  others. 

Thus  we  have  defcribed  the  conviclion  and  reproof 
we  had  of  fin,  and  our  confequent  view  and  approba- 
tion of  Chrift  and  the  gofpel,  asfoir.e  of  us  have  icnfibiy 

experienced 


SeRM.    IL  I^OPE    of    a    CHRlSTlAiT.  33 

experienced  thefe  in  this  order,  and.it  is  the  order  of 
nature  j  for  it  is  impoffible  that  any  man  who  is  not 
Convinced  of  fin  and  reproved  for  it,  fo  as  to  fubmit 
to  God,  approve  of  his  charafter  as  legillator  j  and  of  his 
Jaw,  Ihould  underfland  and  approve  of  the  gofpel. 
Though  there  may  be  fome,  yea,  many  of  us,  who  have 
not  fo  dittinftly  and  fenfibly  difcerned  the  operations  of 
their  own  minds  as  to  afcertain  the  order  in  which  their 
convictions  and  exercifes  took  place,  yet  they  are  fenii- 
ble  they  have  had  them  all,  as  to  fubftance,  fooner  or  lat- 
er, in  a  greater  or  lefs  degree.  Some  of  us  have  re- 
mained a  longer  ^nd  more  fenHble  time,  after  we  fub- 
mitted  to  God  in  the  manner  which  has  been  defcribed, 
before  we  hid  clear  and  affecting  viev.'s  of  Chrift  and 
the  gofpel,  than  others,  and  our  views  of  the  latter  have 
been  more  g-radual.  Others  have  had  all  crowded  on 
their  mindf  fo  m.uch  at  once  as  not  to  be  able  to  diilin- 
guiili  the  formef  from  the  latter,  fO  as  to  fay  whi'ch  was 
firft  or  laft,  from  the  perception  of  their  own  minds. 
And  there  is  a  great  variety  in  the  degree,  way  and 
manner,  time  and  means,  in  and  by  which  thefe  things 
have  taken  place  in  different  perfons.  Yet  the  vv'ork 
and  effect  appear  to  be  the  fame,  as  to  fubftance  and 
the  effentials  of  it. 

Not  One  of  us  have  entertained  a  hope  that  we  fhall 
be  favedj  or  have  been  led  to  approve  of  the  gofpel,  and 
become  frietidly  to  God  and  his  lav/,  wholly  from  a  per- 
fuafion  fomehow  impreffed  on  our  minds,  that  Chrift 
died  for  us  and  would  fave  us,  or  fomething  like  this : 
for  it  is  impoffibie  that  fuch  a  perfuafion,  be  it  ever  fo 
dear  and  ftrong,  fhould  be  true,  and  therefore  muft  be 
falfe,  and  a  great  and  dangerous  delufion :  and  they 
whofe  religion  is  built  on  this  foundation  only,  are  build- 
ing on  the  fand,  and  going  to  inevitable  ruin. 

Our  hope  that  we  belong  to  Chrift,  and  Ihall  be  faved 
by  him,  is  built  on  the  evidence  we  think  we  have  that 
we  have  cordially  embraced  the  gofpel,  and  have  been 
brought  to  the  exercife  of  the  Chrift ian  graces,  fuch  as 
repentance,  faith  in  Chrift,  love  to  God,   cur  fellow 

F  Chriftians 


34  THE    REASON    OF    THE  SeRM.    II. 

Ghriftians  ar.d  our  neighbours,  or  any  of  tliofe  Chrif- 
tian  graces  which  are  implied  in  thefe,  and  connected 
with  them.  Some  of  us,  we  believe,  have,  at  their  firft 
converlion,  had  fuch  clear  and  irnpreflive  views  of  the 
truth  and  excellence  of  the  gofpel,  that  they  not  only 
knew  it  was  divine,  but  alio  that  they  did  embrace 
it  wdth  all  their  heart,  and  ftrength  of  mind  j  that 
they  were  turned  from  darknefs  to  marvellous  light, 
and  confequently  fhould  be  faved  ;  and  the  Spirit  of 
God  has  fo  excited  holy  affedions,  and  iliined  on  his 
own  work,  as  to  be  a  witnefs  with  their  fpirits  that  they 
were  born  of  God  :  and  fome  have  been  fo  happy  as  to  en- 
joy this  evidence  all  their  days,  without  much  interrup- 
tion; efpecially  thofe  who  have  been  called  to  labour  and 
fuffer  much  for  the  caufe  of  Chrift  and  religion.  There 
are  others  who  at  the  time  or  their  converficn  have  had 
fuch  great  light  and  ftrong  affections,  that  they  were 
confident,  without  the  leaft  doubt,  that  they  had  pafied 
from  death  to  life,  who  yet  have  foon  fallen  into  dark- 
nefs and  doubts,  whether  they  were  really  converted 
or  not :  others,  who  have  had  fuch  miftaken  notions 
about  converlion,  and  the  feelings  and  exercifes  in  which 
it  confifted,  and  of  Chriftians,  previous  to  their  own 
converfion  and  after  it,  that  when  they  really  paifed  this 
change  they  did  not  knov/,  and  had  not  one  thought 
that  they  wxre  converted  then,  and  for  a  conliderable 
time  after.  But  as  real  Chriftian  exercifes  continued, 
and  perhaps  on  fome  occafions  rofe  higher,  upon  reflec- 
tion on  their  own  paft  experience  and  exercifes,  they 
have  entertained  a  hope  that  they  were  real  Chriftians  ; 
and  the  evidence  of  this  has  increafed  on  paffing  through 
trials,  and  their  hope  has  grown  into  a  confidence 
which  often  excludes  all  doubt.  All  tliefe  differences, 
and  thofe  vthich  have  been  before  mentioned,  and  ma- 
ny others  not  mentioned,  m.ay  and  do  take  place  among 
veal  Chriftians,  from  caufcs  and  for  reafons  v.^hich  v/e  do 
not  pretend  to  be  able  fully  to  explore  and  explain.  If 
they  have  been  convinced  of  fin  ;  have  fubmitted  to 
to  God,  and  embraced  the  gofpel  in  the  manner  before 

,ftatedj 


Serm.  it.  hope  of  a  christian.  35 

ftated  ;  and  have  and  exhibit  the  further  evidence  that 
they  are  Chriftians  which  v/e  now  proceed  to  mention  ; 
they  may  reafonably  think  themielves  I'uch,  and  muft  be 
embraced  by  us  as  the  friends  of  Chriil. 

Our  evidence  that  we  have  really  embraced  the  gof- 
pel,  by  which  our  hope  is  fupported  and  ftrcngthencd, 
anies  from  thofe  exercifes,  and  the  condud,  which  have 
attv:ndcd  or  followed  the  things  which  have  been  alrea- 
dy inentioned. 

When  we  underflood  and  believed  the  gofpel,  as  be- 
f  re  defcribed,  it  had  a  powerful  influence  on  our  hearts 
and  afFeclionSj  which  is  lafting,  and  never  wholly  loft ; 
at  fome  times  lefs  fenfibie,  at  others  more  fo,  and  is  on 
the  whole,  we  hope,  increafing.  We  were  brought  in- 
to a  new  moral  and  fpiritual  v/orld,  and  our  affec- 
tions were  taken  off  from  the  things,  the  enjoyments 
and  pleafures  of  this  world,  on  which  they  were  before 
fixed,  as  the  great  and  chief  good ;  and  fixed  on  the  in- 
finitely important,  glorious  and  beautiful  objects  of  the 
inviiible  and  fpiritual  v/orld  revealed  in  the  Bible.  Our 
minds  have  been  fo  renewed  and  transformed  by  divine 
power  accompaning  the  gofpel,  we  hope,  that  we  have 
no  longer  lived  unto  ourfelves  ;  but  have  with  ftrong  af- 
fection devoted  ourfelves  to  Chrilt,  and  ffiven  ourfelves 
away  to  him,  to  ferve  him,  and  promote  his  honour 
and  interefc.  And  in  our  attention  to  his  character, 
and  the  truths  contained  in  the  gofpel,  our  afl'ecfcions 
and  the  exercifes  of  our  minds  are  excited  to  a  hi'j:her 
degree  and  greater  ftrength  than  they  ever  were  to- 
wards any  worldly  object,  or  pofTibly  could  be :  at  the 
fame  time  we  are  conicious  tliat  they  are  not  flighty  and 
imaginary,  but  folid  and  rational.  VnTc  feel  a  fixed  de- 
termination and  refolution  to  follow  Chriit,  and  adhere 
to  the  practice  of  Chriftianity,  by  divine  afTiftance  :  and 
whatever  we  were  before,  and  though  fome  of  us  were 
openly  vicious,  we  are,  by  the  knowledge  of  tlie  gofpel, 
and  the  power  it  has  had  on  our  hearts,  become  ftrictly 
confcientious,  in  all  our  thoughts,  exercifes  of  heart, 
words  and  actions  j  watchful  and  careful  that  they  all 

may 


3^  TKE    REASON    O?    THE  SeRM.   II. 

may  be  conformable  to  the  divine  commands.  And 
Tvvhat  is  found  contrary  to  thefe  in  our  hearts,  of  which 
■we  fee  much,  we  lament,  and,  with  pain  and  forrow, 
condemn.  As  to  all  external  vicious  conduct  in  v/ords 
and  actions,  we  hope  we  are  thoroughly  reformed,  and 
condemn  and  abhor  ourfelves  for  being  guilty  of  them, 
and  for  all  our  hns  ;  and  have  an  earneft  longing  to  bej 
delivered  from  all  fin,  and  to  become  perfectly  holy, 
which  we  hops  is  Vv^hat  Chrift  means  by  "  hungering 
and  thirfting  after  righteoufnefs."  We  think  this 
change  in  us  could  not  be  wrought  by  any  thing  lliort 
of  divine  power,  accompanying  the  gofpei,  by  which  it 
has  been  made  unto  us  "  the  power  of  God  unto  our 
falvation."  And  y/e  hope  we  have  received  "  the  fpirit 
of  power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  found  mind.'* 

We  hope  we  hrj.ve  received  from  God  the  fpirit  of 
lo-ve,  fuch  love  which  in  the  nature  and  exercifes  of  it 
difFcrs  from  all  kinds  of  love  natural  to  man,  and  is  pe- 
culiar to  Chriftians,  and  conformable  to  the  moral  cha- 
racter of  God,  which  conhfts  in  love.  This  love  confifls 
mofi:  ell'entially  in  difmterefted  good  will,  or  goodnefs  of 
heart.  Tliis  has  fixed  our  hearts  in  the  firil  place  and 
chiefly  on  God,  in  cordial  and  ftrcng  dehres  that  he 
may  be  exalted,  inhniteiy  bleiled  and  glorified  forever, 
and  readinefs  to  devote  ourfelves  to  anfwer  this  end  ; 
and  v/hen  v/e  refieft  on  the  fubjevfl:,  and  learn  that  God 
is  glorifying  himfelf  by  every  thing  that  has,  does  or 
will  take  place  to  eternity,  v/e  are  highly  pleafed,  and 
rejoice.  And  v/hen  we  conhder  that  the  work  of  re- 
demption by  Jefus  Chrift,  the  Son  of  God,  is  luited  to 
make  the  greateft  difplay  of  the  divine  perfections,  both 
in  them  who  Ihall  be  faved  and  in  them  who  perifh  ; 
and  that  all  the  fm  and  mifery  that  do  or  ever  Ihall  take 
place,  will  ferve  to  praife  and  glorify  Chrift,  and  pro- 
mote the  greateft  pofhble  good  of  the  univerfc ;  and  that 
Chrift  v/iil  bring  the  redeemed  and  all  the  friends  of 
God  to  the  hlghek  happinefs  and  glory  in  his  eternal 
kingdom,  even  to  uinfpeakably  greater  happinefs  than 
could  poftibly  have  taken  place  if  no  fm  and  mifery  h^d 

ever 


SeRM.    II.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  3/ 

ever  exiftcd,  and  confequently  there  could  have  been  no 
luch  character  as  that  oF  God  manifefted  in  the  llefli,  and 
no  luch  works  as  he  has  done  to  glorify  God  and  re- 
deem the  elect ;  when  we  confider  and  realize  all  this, 
>ve  are  filled  with  comfort,  wonder  and  joy,  finding  in 
this  divine  plan  all  that  benevolence  can  wilh,  even  the 
higheft  poiTiblc  good  of  the  univerfe.  This  is  an  obje<5t 
fuited  in  the  higheft  poffible  degree  to  pleafe  the  bene- 
volent, and  to  raife  their  gratitude  to  the  higueil  pitch 
to  the  God  of  love,  and  Redeemer  of  men. 

This  fame  love,  which  fixes  our  hearts  on  God,  and  ren- 
ders us  friendly  to  his  being,  felicity  and  glory,  and  cauf- 
es  us  to  rejoice  that  he  will  be  glorified,  and  produce 
the  greateft  good  of  which  the  created  univerfe  is  capa- 
ble, unites  us  aifo  to  ail  the  friends  of  God  j  eipecially  the 
friends  of  Chrift  among  rnen,  w^iom  we  coniider  as  our 
brethren  and  fifters  in  Chrift,  who  bear  the  image  of 
Chrift  in  their  hearts,  and  are  friends  to,  and  labouring 
to  promote,  his  intereft  among  men,  in  which  we  alfo  are 
engaged  ;  w;ho  are  the  fpecial  objects  of  the  benevolence, 
complacency  and  delight  of  Chrift.  For  thefe  we  have 
a  peculiar  friendfhip,  deftring  and  rejoicing  in  their  wel- 
fare, loving  to  ferve  them,  and  do  them  ail  the  good  we 
can  ;  and  we  have  a  peculiar  complacency  and  delight  in 
them  and  their  friendfhip,  converlation  and  company, 
which  we  cannot  enjoy  in  others.  This,  we  hope,  is 
that  love  of  our  brethren  which  in  the  fcripture  is  con- 
neded  with  love  to  God,  and  is  peculiar  to  true  ChriC- 
tians. 

We  hope  we  |iaye  that  benevolent,  univerfal  love  to 
all  our  fellow  men  which  is  peculiar  to  Chriftians,  whicli 
leads  us  to  wiih  them  the  greateft  good  they  are  capable 
of  enjoying  in  this  life  and  in  tiie  w^orld  to  come,  and  to 
do  good  as  far  as  we  have  an  opportunity.  And  w^e  hope 
w^e  love  even  our  enemies,  fo  that  whatever  evil  they  do, 
or  attempt  or  deftre  to  do  us,  this  does  not  make  us  to 
ceafe  to  wifii  them  well,  and  to  do  them  ail  the  good  we 
can,  and  to  pray  heartily  for  their  welfare  ;  ahvays  ftu- 
dying  and  endeavouring,  if  it  be  pofuble,  to  live  in  peace 
%vith  all  men.  ,t^ 


5$  THE    REASON   OF   THS  SeRM.    II. 

We  have  been  led  by  our  acquaintance  with  Chrift 
and  the  gofpel,  we  hope,  in  fome  good  meafure  to  keep 
our  bodies  under,  and  crucify  the  fiefh  with  the  affec- 
tions and  lufts  ;  to  avoid  all  intemperance  and  unlaM^ful 
ienfual  indulgence,  and  lay  afidc  pallion,  anger,  envy  and 
malice  ;  and  to  put  on  humility,  meeknefs,  and  a  calm 
and  quiet  fpirit ;  and  to  praftife  that  felf-denial,  and  go- 
vernment of  ourfelves,  our  appetites  and  particular  pro- 
penfities  and  inclinations,  according  to  the  holy  rules  of 
the  gofpel,  fo  as  not  to  injure  ourfelves  or  any  one  elfe  by 
the  criminal  indulgence  of  them.  We  hope  our  felfifli- 
nefs  or  covetoufnefs,  pride  and  levity  of  mind  have  been 
fo  far  fubdued  as  not  to  reign  in  us  ;  and  that  the  con- 
trary principles  of  benevolence,  humility  and  fober-mind- 
ednefs  have  dominion  in  our  hearts  ;  that  we  fet  our  af- 
fection on  things  above,  and  not  on  things  on  the  earth  ; 
that  we  fee  the  vanity  of  the  world  and  the  things  and 
enjoym.enis  of  it ;  and  are  imprefied  with  a  fenfe  of  the 
reality,  importance  and  excellence  of  the  things  and  en- 
joyments of  religion,  and  feel  unhappy  when  thefe 
things  are  in  any  meafure  cut  of  hght,  and  our  reli- 
gious exercifes  refpecling  them  do  fenlibly  fubfide. 

We  love  and  greatly  prize  the  Bible.  It  is  better  to 
us  than  all  the  riches  in  the  world,  or  tlian  all  other 
books.  We  alfo  prize  and  read  the  books  which  ferve  to 
explain  the  Bible,  and  vindicate  the  doftrines  and  duties 
contained  in  it.  We  have  great  delight  in  reading  and 
meditating  on  the  Bible,  efpecially  at  times,  when  the 
truths  we  find  there  are  imprefied  on  our  minds.  We 
make  the  Bible  the  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice. 

We  fpend  much  time,  when  we  are  alone  efpecially,  in 
meditating  on  the  fubjeciis  of  religion,  and  are  pleafed 
with  religious  converfation  in  the  company  of  Chriftians. 
We  have  great  pleafure  in  fecret  prayer,  efpecially  when, 
as  we  think,  the  rloly  Spirit  enlarges  our  hearts  and 
helps  our  infirmities,  in  a  clear  and  affecting  view  of  di- 
vine things.  We  are  pleafed  with  joining  with  others 
in  focial  worfhip  when  we  have  opportunity,  either  in 
the  families  where  we  live,  in  private  Chriilian  focieties, 

or 


SeRM.    n.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  39 

or  in  public  affemblies.  The  Chriftian  fabbath,  and  the 
inftitution  of  baptifm  and  the  Lord's  fupper,  appear  to 
us  to  be  wife  and  good,  fuited  to  promote  the  higheft 
good  of  men,  and  the  honour  of  Chrift,  and  we  endea« 
vour  confcientioufly  to  attend  upon  them ;  and  are 
much  inftruded  and  edified  by  the  pi'caching  of  the 
gofpel,  when  the  great  truths  of  it  are  explained  and 
vindicated,  and  the  duties  therein  revealed  are  properly 
urged,  and  the  preacher  with  fuitable  engagednefs  de- 
clares all  the  counfel  of  God. 

We  hope  we  live  in  the  exercife  of  an  unconditional 
fubmifiion  to  God,  without  making  any  relerve,  with  re- 
fpeci  to  all  the  events  which  do  or  fliall  take  place,  whe- 
ther greater  or  fmailer,  and  whether  they  relate  more 
immediately  to  ourfelves,  or  to  the  church,  or  to  the 
world  in  general.  We  firmly  believe  that  God  has  de- 
termined, and  does  order,  every  thing,  every  event,  both 
great  and  fmall,  that  comes  to  pals,  according  to  the 
counfel  of  his  own  will,  which  is  perfecrly  wife  and 
good ;  and  we  are  difpofed  and  love  to  fay,  Thy  'will  be 
done,  with  refpecl  to  all  events  w^hich  do  take  place  now, 
or  Ihall  come  to  pafs.  Nor  do  we,  and  we  dare  not,  aik 
for  any  thing  in  prayer  to  God  which  v/e  do  not  know 
is  agreeable  to  his  will  to  grant,  abfolutely,  but  condi- 
tionally, if  it  be  agreeable  to  his  will  to  do  it ;  if  it  be  not, 
we  are  prepared  to  fay  from  the  heart.  Thy  will  be  done. 
We  have  fuch  a  conflant  conviction  and  confidence  that 
the  divine  wdil  is  infinitely  wife,  right  and  good,  that  it 
is  matter  of  fupport,  comfort  and  joy,  that  the  Lord  God 
Om.nipotent  reigns,  and  hath  done,  and  will  forever  do, 
whatfoever  pleafeth  him,  being  infinitely  above  all  con- 
troul ;  fo  that  his  counfel  ftandeth  forever,  and  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  generations. 

We  add  in  the  lalt  place,  that  we  truft  that  our  conver- 
fation  and  conduct  before  the  world  is  acrreeable  to  our 
Chriftian  profellion,  and  the  holy  rules  of  the  gofpel. 
If  this  were  not  true,  but  the  contrary,  w^e  acknowledge 
all  our  fuppofed  inward  exercifes,  which  have  been  men- 
tioned as  evidences  of  cur  Chriitianity,  are  not  to  be  re- 
lied 


40  TK£    F.EASON    t?F    TH£  SeRM:    IL 

lied  upon  by  ivSj.and  maybe  juiUy  confldered  as  mere 
delulion  by  all  others.  But  if  what  we  fuppofe  be  true, 
for  which  we  appeal  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  us, 
3  lid  we  have  been  brought  by  the  influence  of  the  gofpel 
of  the  grace  God  to  deny  all  ungodlinefs,  aUd  every 
worldly  lull,  and  to  live  foberly,  righteoufly  and  godly 
in  this  prefent  evil  world  ;  we  think  it  to  be  a  ftrength- 
cning  evidence,  in  connection  with  our  inward  convic- 
tions and  exercifes  which  we  have  experienced,  and  have 
now  related,  that  v/e  are  the  fubjefts  of  the  power  of 
Divine  Grace  ;  and  that,  v/hatever  we  once  were,  we  are 
now  wafhed,  and  fanctified,  and  juftilied,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jefus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God  ;  and  that 
ail  who  behold  our  blamelefs  and  good  converfation  in 
Chrift,  ought  to  confider  it  as  an  evidence  in  our  favour^ 
and  of  the  truth  and  excellence  of  Chriftianity  ;  and  that 
they  who.fpeak  evil  of  us  as  of  evil  doers,  and  faifely  ac= 
cufe  us,  ought  to  be  afliamed. 

Thus  we  have  endeavoured  to  give  an  boneft  and  true 
account  of  the  reafon  of  the  hope  we  enterta,in,  that  by 
beheving  the  gofpel  it  is  become  the  power  of  God  to  us,' 
to  our  faivation.  We  have  omitted  fome  thinars  which 
might  have  been  mentioned,  and  perhaps  have  made 
fome  neediefs  repetitions.  Imperfect  as  this  account  is, 
we  wifh  it  may  prove  fome  advantage  to  Chriftians,  and 
matter  of  conviction  to  unbelievers.* 

III.  The  reafonablenefs  and  importance  of  the  direc- 
tion and  command  which  has  been  explained,  is  to  be 
confldered  and  proved.  This  may  be  done  by  the  fol- 
lowing obfervations. 

*  It  is  fuppofed  that  the  evidence  '(given  above  by  Chriftians,  of 
their  hope  of  a  faving  intereft  in  Chrift,  is  common  to  eveiy  real  Chrif- 
tian,  without  which  no  man  has  reafon  to  thinic  himfclf  to  be  one. 
But  in  many  other  particulars,  not  mentioned  here,  Chriilians  may 
ditFer,  and  one  have  views  and  exercifes  which  another  has  not  expe- 
rienced in  the  fame  manner  and  degree,  which  may  be  a  ftrengthen- 
ing  evidence  to  thofe  who  have  them,  and  to  thofe  to  whom  they  re- 
late them,  that  they  have  tafted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  If  any 
defire  to  fee  the  fubjed  treated  more  largely,  they  are  referred  to  Pre- 
fident  Edv/^\kus  on  Reli^ioui  ylfeciiom. 

I.  Itl 


SSRM.    II.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  41 

1 .  It  muft  be  fuppofed  that  every  real  Chriftian  is  able 
to  comply  with  this  direction,  and  can  give  the  realon  of 
his  hope,  when  properly  inquired  of  and  alked.  If  this 
were  not  true,  the  command,  which  extends  to  all  Chrif- 
tians,  would  be  indeed  unreafonable  and  nugatory.  It 
is  therefore  reafonable  to  fuppofe  and  be  certain  that 
every  Chriftian  has  good  reafon  for  the  hope  that  is  in 
him,  and  can  give  it  when  there  is  a  call  for  it.  This  is 
a  fubjc<5l  which  he  thinks  upon  and  ftudies  more  than 
any  other.  He  certainly  does  meditate  upon  it  night 
and  day.  He  confiders  and  examines  over  and  over 
again  the  evidence  he  has  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of 
Chriftianity.  The  theme  is  familiar  to  his  mind,  and 
the  evidence  of  the  truth  increafes,  in  his  view,  in 
ftrength  and  clearnefs  ;  and,  of  courfe,  he  is  confcantly, 
and  with  folemn  concern,  conlidering  the  evidence  he 
has  of  his  being  a  real  Chriftian.  He  muft  therefore  be 
ahvays  ready  to  give  the  reafon  of  this  hope  that  is  in 
him.  And  it  is  reafonable  and  important  that  Chrif- 
tians  jQiould  do  this,  when  aiked,  becaufe, 

2.  It  is  greatly  for  the  advantage  and  benefit  of 
Chriftians  to  be  prepared  and  ready  to  give  the  reafon 
of  their  hope,  and  actually  to  do  it,  when  they  are  alk- 
ed in  a  proper  manner. 

This  has  a  greater  tendency  to  keep  their  minds 
awake  to  thefe  fubjects  than  mere  private  meditation  ; 
to  increafe  their  knowledge  in  thefe  things,  and  to 
ftrengthen  and  invigorate  their  exercifes,  and  eftabiifh 
their  own  hearts  in  the  ground  and  reafon  of  their 
hope.  Free  and  ferious  converfation  upon  interefting 
fubjects  of  religion  is  attended  with  advantages  to  Chrif- 
tians, which  could  not  be  enjoyed  if  every  one  kept 
all  his  religious  thoughts  and  exercifes  wholly  to  him- 
felf.  This  is  confirmed  by  reafon  and  the  experience  of 
Chriftians.  And  many,  if  not  all,  have  found,  by  com- 
municating to  others  the  reafons  of  their  behef  in  Chrif- 
tianity, and  of  their  hope  that  they  themfelves  were 
Chriftianr,,  their  hearts  more  eftabUfhed  in  the  truth 
and  importance  of  the  Bible,  and  their  hope  of  faiva- 

G  tion 


42 


IHE    REASON    OF    THE  SeRM.    IL 


tion  by  Chrift  become  more  clear  and  ftrong,  by  being 
quiokened  in  their  religious  exercifes. 

3.    A  compliance  with  this  command  tends,   many 
ways,  to  the  good  of  others.     It  tends  greatly  to  the 
benefit  of  Chriilians  to  converfe  with  each  other  freely 
on  thefe  fubjefts  ;  to  communicate  to  one  another  their 
reafons  for  believing  the  gofpel,  and  how,  and  in  what 
way,  they  were  brought  to  a  clear  conviftion  and  affu- 
rance  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  it ;  and  what  have 
been  their  views  and  exercifes,  on  which  they  ground 
their  hope  that  they  do  cordially  embrace  the  gofpel, 
and  are  the  real  friends  of  Chrift.     By  this  they  become 
particularly  acquainted  with  each  other,  and  obtain  the 
knowledge   of  the  difcerning,   views  and  exercifes  of 
their  hearts,  which  could  not  be  fo  well  and  fully  ob- 
tained in  any  otlier  way.     This  lays  a  foundation  for 
an  intimacy,  love  and  friendfhip,  which  are  fwcet,  edi- 
iydng,  lading,  and  peculiar  to  Chriuians.     This  tends 
to  increafe  the  knowledge  of  Chriftians,  and  eftablifb 
their  hearts  in  the  behef  of  the  truth,  and  excite  and 
quicken   their    Chriftian    affeftions,    while    they   hear 
others  give  the  reafon  of  the   hope   that   is  in  them. 
And  this  appears  to  be  an  important  part  of  Chriftian 
communion,  while  they  drink  into  the  fame  Spirit,  and 
mutually  partake  of  the  comfort  and  blefiings  of  the 
gofpel. 

This  alfo  has  a  tendency  to  promote  the  beft  good  of 
unbelievers.  If  Chriftians  have  nothing  to  fay  for 
themfelves,  and  are  filent,  when  they  who  are  not 
Chriftians,  with  apparent  ferious  delire  to  know,  alk 
them  to  give  the  reafon  of  their  hope,  this  will  greatly 
tend  to  prejudice  them  againft  Chriftianity  and  profef- 
ied  Chriftians,  and  lead  them  to  think  that  the  gofpel  is 
unreafonabie,  and  cannot  be  lupported.  But  when 
they  find  Chriftians  able  and  ready  to  give  the  reafon 
of  their  hope,  when  alked,  and  they  have  it  laid  before 
them,  they  have  matter  of  conviction  that  Chriftians 
can  Ipeak  for  themfeJves,  and  that  Chriftianity  is  found- 
ed in  reafon  and  truth  ;  and  it  may  by  divine  influence 

reach 


SeRM.   II.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  43 

reach  their  hearts,  as  the  means  of  their  falvation.  And 
doubtlefs  this  has  been  the  means  of  the  falvation  of 
many.  But  if  this  fliould  not  be  the  happy  confe- 
quence,  and  the  unbeUever  perhft  in  rejecting  the  gof- 
pel  to  his  own  deftruclion,  the  Chriftian  has  done  his 
duty ;  and  his  labour  fhall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord, 
but  anfwer  fome  important  end. 

4.  In  this  way  Chriftians  honour  Chrift  and  his  caufe. 
They  who  are  not  able,  or  are  not  difpofed,  to  give  the 
reafon  of  their  Chriftian  hope  when  properly  alked  to 
do  it,  muft  be  numbered  among  thofe  who  are  afhamed 
of  Chrift  and  of  his  words.  Of  fuch,  He  fays,  fhail  the 
•Son  of  Man  be  afhamed,  when  hecometh  in  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  with  the  holy  angels.  He  will  confider  and 
treat  them  as  a  difgrace  and  diftionour  to  him,  liiould 
he  own  them  to  be  his  difciples  and  friends.  But,  on  the 
contrary,  he  fays,  "  Whofoever  fhall  confefs  me  before 
men,  him  will  I  confefs  alfo  before  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven,  and  before  the  angels  of  God."  As  thefe,  by 
confefiing  him  before  men,  honour  him.,  he  will  honour 
them  before  the  univerfe,  in  his  ftate  of  the  higheft  exal- 
tation and  glory.  They  who  are  able  and  ready  to  give 
the  reafon  of  their  Chriftian  hope  to  thofe  who  alk  them, 
to  whatever  fhame  and  fufferings  they  may  expofe  them- 
felves  by  this,  do  hereby  confefs  and  honour  Chrift  be- 
fore men,  which  they  cannot  do  effectually  in  any  other 
way,  if  this  be  refufed  or  neglected.  And  this  is  one 
important  way  for  Chriftians  to  exhibit  their  true  cha- 
rader,  and  fhow  their  zeal  and  courage  in  the  caufe  of 
Chrift,  anA  honour  and  promote  it  in  the  world.  How 
reafonable  then  and  important  is  this  injunction  of  the 
Apoftle! 

Improvement. 

I.  From  this  text,  and  the  fubjeft,  we  have  warrant 
to  conclude,  that  they  who  are  not  able  to  give  a  reafon 
for  their  hope  in  the  fenfe  explained,  or  they  who  refufe 
to  do  it  to  any  one,  at  any  time,  are  not  real  Chriftians, 
whatever  they  may  pretend.  „m 


44  THE    REASON    OF    THE  SerM.    II. 

There  are  too  many,  who  would  pafs  for  Chriftians,  who 
can  give  no  good  reafon  why  they  believe  Chriftianity  to 
be  true  and  divine,  or  why  they  hope  to  be  faved  by  it. 
They  can  give  no  account  of  any  particular,  feniible  im- 
preflions  made  on  their  hearts  by  any  of  the  truths  of 
the  gofpel,  cr  of  any  view  or  exercife  which  indicates  a 
real  change  of  heart.  There  are  others  to  whom  the 
general  arguments  for  the  truth  of  the  gofpel  are  fami- 
liar, and  they  can  talk  well  and  readily  upon  fome  of 
them  ;  but  if  they  be  afked  what  their  own  inv/ard  ex- 
^rcifes  are  with  refped  to  the  gofpel,  and  what  is  the 
ground  of  their  hope  that  they  are  Chriftians,  their 
mouths  are  immediately  fhut,  and  they  have  nothing  to 
fay,  unlefs  it  be  to  object  againft  the  propriety  of  afking 
or  anfwering  fuch  a  queftion,  as  no  one  has  any  buiinefs 
to  inquire,  or  right  to  know,  what  are  their  inward  ex- 
crcifes  ;  every  one  ought  to  keep  thefe  to  himfelf,  kc. 
Others  will  inveigh  againft  Chriftians  tell'mg  their  expe- 
riences, as  it  is  called,  and  infift  it  is  nothing  but  mere 
enthuliafm.  All  thefe  may  be  juftly  confidered  as  having 
no  good  reafon  for  hoping  themfelves  to  be  Chriftians. 

There  are  others  who  are  forv/ard  enough,  and  even 
too  forward,  to  tell  of  their  religious  experiences,  and 
give  a  narrative  of  their  converfion,  which  they  feem  to' 
think  to  be  extraordinary  and  excellent.  And  they  do 
it  when  there  does  not  appear  any  particular  call  to  do  it. 
They  appear  to  be  proud  of  their  religious  experiences, 
and  often  fpeak  of  them  in  a  light  and  oftentatious  man- 
ner, direftly  contrary  to  meeknefs  and  fear.  Thefe  are 
fo  far  from  obeying  the  Apoftle's  direction, '  that  they 
abufe  and  pervert  it,  and  do  not  appear  to  be  real  Chrif- 
tians. 

II.  It  hence  appears  how  reaionable  and  important  it 
is  that  Chriftians  Ihould  give  the  reafon  of  their  hope, 
when  they  join  to  a  church,  and  make  a  Chriftian  pro- 
feiTion  ;  and  that  they  fhould  be  alked  concerning  their 
doctrinal  knowledge,  and  experience  of  the  power  of  di- 
vine truths  on  their  hearts.  Churches  have  a  right  to 
l^now  of  fuch  the  reafon  of  their  hope,  and  with  what 

views. 


SeRM.   II.  HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  45 

views,  exerclfes  and  motives  they  defire  to  join  tliera. 
And  by  this  means  they  get  acquainted  with  them  as 
they  could  not  in  any  other  way,  and  a  foundation 
is  laid  for  future  intimacy  and  Chriftian  communion. 
I'hey  therefore  mull  be  blameable,  and  give  reafon  to  fear 
they  are  not  Chriilians,  who  refufe  to  join  a  church  be 
caufe  they  cannot  be  admitted  unlefs  they  will  give  the 
reafon  of  their  hope,  as  above  explained.  And  thofe 
churches  are  guilty  of  great  and  criminal  neglecl  who 
admit  members  without  any  examination  of  them  refpect- 
ing  their  doctrinal  and  experimental  knowledge  of  re- 
ligion, or  afking  them  to  give  the  reafon  of  their  hope. 
I'he  confequence  generally  is,  that  the  members  of  fuch 
churches  have  no  particular  intimacy  or  acquaintance 
with  each  other,  not  fo  much  as  tliey  have  with  the 
men  of  the  world,  or  thofe  who  make  no  profeilion  of 
religion  ;  and  know  little  or  nothing  of  each  other,  and 
are  in  no  refpecl  diftinguifhed  from  non-profclTors,  but 
merely  by  having  made  a  profefiion,  and  meeting  toge- 
ther at  the  Lord's  table. 

III.  This  fubjecf  is  fuited  to  awaken  Chriftians  to  a 
concern  to  be  ready,  and  more  ready  than  Chriftians  in 
general  have  been  and  are,  to  give  an  anfwer  to  thole  who 
alk  them  the  reafon  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them.  They 
ought  to  ft  rive  to  be  yet  better  able  to  offer  the  rnoft 
clear  and  convincing  evidence  of  the  truth,  authenticity 
and  excellence  of  Chriftianity,  and  to  increafe  in  the 
ftrength  and  conftancy  of  every  Chriftian  grace;  that  they 
may  have  increaftng  evidence  in  their  own  minds  that 
their  hope  is  well  founded,  and  be  able  to  give  more 
fatisfying  and  ftriking  evidence  to  others  that  they  are 
Chriftians  indeed  ;  and  fo  ftiine  as  lights  in  the  world, 
in  the  midft  of  a  crooked  and  perverfe  nation. 

Chriftians  have  no  reafon  to  be  afliamed  of  their  hope 
and  the  gofpel,  let  who  will  fpeak  againft  and  ridicule  it. 
It  has  and  will  ftand  the  teft  of  the  moft  fevere  rational 
trial  and  examination.  The  more  it  is  examined  by  un- 
prejudiced reafon,  the  brighter  its  truth  and  divine  excel- 
lency fliine  J  and  it  will  ftand  a^id  prevail,  until  the  light 

of 


46  THE    REASON,   &C.  SeRM-    1L 

of  it  fliall  fill  the  world,  as  the  waters  cover  the  fea,  and 
all  the  oppofers  of  it  fliall  be  turned  into  everlalling 
darknefs.  Wherefore  let  Chriftians  gird  up  the  loins  of 
their  mind,  be  fober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for  the  grace 
which  is  to  be  brought  unto  them  at  the  revelation  of 
Jefus  Chrift ;  and  be  always  ready  to  give  an  anfwer  to 
every  man  that  afketh  them  the  reafon  of  the  hope  that 
is  in  them,  with  meeknefs  and  fear. 

There  is  a  fpecial  reafon  for  a  careful,  courageous  prac- 
tice of  this  apoftolic  dired:ion,  at  this  day,  which  is  the 
time  in  which  the  flxth  vial  is  poured  out,  predicted 
Revelation  lixteenth  chapter,  when  the  fpirits  of  devils 
are  allowed  to  go  forth  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole 
world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  the  great  day 
of  God  Almighty.  Thefe  evil  fpirits  are  now  among  us, 
and  have  great  influence  on  the  minds  of  men,  in  the  un- 
common, rapid  fpread  of  infidelity,  and  all  manner  of 
error  and  vice.  Chriftians  therefore  now  have  a  loud 
and  fpecial  call  to  watch  and  be  fober,  to  vindicate  the 
truth,  and  honour  Chrift  and  his  caufe  in  all  pofiible 
ways.  Let  them  hear  and  obey  the  words  of  Chrift, 
which  he  fpake  with  particular  reference  to  this  time  : 
^'  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Bleffed  is  he  that  watch- 
eth  and  keepeth  his  garments,  left  he  walk  naked,  and 
they  fee  his  iliame." 


HBBn 


SERMON 


Mttmn  III- 

WRITTEN     IN     THE    YEAR.     I767. 


On  Chriftian  Frieridfiiip,  as  it  fubfifts  between  Chrift 
and  Believers,  and  between  Believers  themfelves. 

Cant.  V.  1 6.     This  is  ?ny  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend. 

FRIENDSHIP  afFords  the  higheft  and  moft  fweet  en- 
joyment that  is  to  be  had  in  this  life,  or  that  ra- 
tional creatures  are  capable  of.  Yea,  it  is  in  fome  fenfe 
the  07iJy  fource  of  real  enjoyment  and  happincfs ;  fo 
that  to  be  perfectly  without  this,  in  every  kind  and  de- 
gree of  it,  is  to  be  wholly  deftitute  of  all  true  enjoy- 
ment and  comfort.  This  gives  pleafure  and  fweetnefs 
to  all  other  enjoyments,  and  without  this  they  all  fade, 
and  become  inlipid  and  worthlefs  ;  yea,  every  thing  will 
be  rather  a  burden,  and  worfe  than  nothing  :  whereas, 
this  wiU  give  a  degree  of  enjoyment  and  pleafure,  when 
ftripped  of  every  other  good  ;  fo  that  he  who  is  in  cir- 
cumllances  to  exercife  and  enjoy  friendfhip  is  in  a  degree 
happy,  let  his  lituation  and  condition  otherwife  be  what 
it  may  :  and  it  is  impoffible  he  fhouid  be  perfectly  mife- 
rabie,  fo  long  as  he  is  within  reach  of  this  fweet,  this 
heaven-born  cordial. 

It  is  probable  that  the  moft  voluptuous  fenfualift  that 
lives  would  in  a  great  meafure  lofe  his  high  relilh  for 
the  pleafures  he  is  fo  eagerly  purfuing,  and  all  his  fweets 
would  be  turned  into  bittcrnefs,  if  he  fliould  feel  himfelf 
perfectly,  and  in  every  fenfe,  friendlefs  :  for  none  can  be 
found,  however  funk  and  fordid  their  minds  have  be- 
come by  vice,  who  have  no  fort  of  tafte  for  friendfhip  ; 
though  it  m.ay  be,  on  the  whole,  a  very  corrupt  tafte.  To 
be  fure,  if  any  fuch  may  be  found,  they  feem  to  be  funk, 
in  this  refped:,  below  the  brutal  creation  ;  for  it  is  ob- 
ferved  that  among  them  there  is  an  appearance  of  love 

of 


4-8  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    III. 

of  ibciety,  and  at  lead  a  refemblance  of  love  and  friend- 
iliip. 

However  loft  to  all  true  friendfhip  mankind  in  general 
are,  yet  a  defire  of  the  efteem  and  love  of  others  is  found 
in  every  brcaft,  and  is  as  elTential  to  man  as  a  defire  of 
happinefs  ;  and  therefore  cannot  be  rooted  out,  but  by 
deftroying  his  natural  powers,  by  which  he  will  ceafe  to 
be  man. 

Hence  it  is  that  no  inconfiderable  part  of  the  future 
mifery  of  the  wicked  will  confift  in  feeling  themfelves 
perfectly  friendlefs,  and  the  objefts  of  the  hatred  and 
contempt  of  all  intelligent  exiftence  in  the  univerfe,  while 
they  find  themfelves  in  every  refpect  in  the  moft  wretch- 
ed, deplorable  circumftances,  and  have  a  moft  keen  aver- 
iion  to  being  hated  and  contemned,  and  a  ftrong  defire 
of  the  love  and  efteem  of  others. 

As  real  or  difinterefted  benevolence  is  efTential  to  true 
friendfhip,  we  have  reafon  to  think  there  are  but  few 
inftances  of  it  in  this  degenerate,  felfifh  world  ;  and 
where  it  does  take  place  in  any  degree,  it  is  in  a  very  low 
and  imperfect  one  ;  fo  that  what  many  in  all  ages  have 
been  convinced  of  and  alTcrted  from  long  experience^ 
may  be  relied  upon  as  a  certain  truth,  that  this  is  a 
friendlefs  world.  However,  there  is  a  fort  of  friendfliip, 
which  is  at  bottom  a  merely  felfifh  thing,  being  found- 
ed only  in  felf-love,  or  which  is  the  refult  of  what  may 
be  called  infincf,  or  natural  affection  ;  which  is  very 
common,  and  in  many  inftances  rifes  very  high,  and  an- 
iwers  many  valuable  purpofes  to  mankind  in  this  prefent 
ftate,  it  being  many  ways  of  great  fervice  to  mankind, 
as  it  prevents  many  evils  that  would  othervv^ife  take 
place,  and  promotes  the  good  of  fociety,  and  often  gives 
a  degree  of  pleafure  and  enjoyment.  But,  fo  far  as  true 
virtue  or  holineis  takes  place,  a  foundation  is  laid  for  a 
different  kind  of  friendfhip,  which  is  immenfely  higher, 
more  noble  and  excellent,  and  confifts  in  exercifes  and 
enjoyments  which  furpafs  thofe  of  all  other  friendfhips, 
more  than  the  exercifes  and  enjoyments  of  improved 

reafoii 


SeRM.    III.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP,  49 

reafon  excel  thofe  of  a  brute,  or  the  brlghtnefs  of  the 
meridian  fun,  that  of  the  meanell  glow-worm. 

And  God  has,  in  his  adorable  v/ifdom  and  goodnefs, 
contrived  and  provided  that  this  friendihip  iliould  be 
exercifed  and  enjoyed  in  the  higheft  perleiSiion,  being 
raifed  to  the  greatell  poffibie  heights,  attended  with  the 
beft  and  moft  advantageous  circumftances. 

The  fcripture  leads  us  to  conceive  of  the  Deity  as  en- 
joying infinitely  the  moil  exalted  and  glorious  friendihip 
and  fociety  in  himfelf,  for  which  there  is  a  foundation 
in  the  inccmpreheniible  manner  of  his  fabliilence  in  the 
three  perfons  of  the  adorable  Trinity.  Here  eternal  love 
and  friendiliip  takes  place  and  fiouriihes  to  an  inhnite 
degree,  in  an  inlinitely  the  moft  perfecl  and  glorious  fo- 
ciety, the  ELOHIM,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghoft. 
And  the  fociety  and  friendihip  for  vv^hich  men  are  form- 
ed by  holinefs,  without  v/hich  they  cannot  be  perfectly 
happy,  may  be  conlidered  as  an  imitrition  and  image  of 
of  this,  by  v/hich  they  are  made  in  the  likenefs  of  God, 
and  partake  with  him  in  the  fame  Idnd  of  happinefs, 
which  he  enjoys  to  an  infinite  degree.  And,  in  order 
that  men  might  partake  with  him  in  the  exercife  and 
enjoyment  of  love  and  friendiliip  to  the  higheft  degree 
and  the  greateft  advantage,  God  has  not  only  laid  a  plan 
to  promote  and  effccl  the  higheft  and  mbft  perfect  love 
and  friendihip  tov/ards  each  other  in  the  moft  exalted 
and  happy  fociety  forever  ',  but  has  fo  contrived,  that 
they  Ihaii  be  brought  into  the  neareft  and  moft  intimate 
union  and  friendly  intercourfe  with  himfelf,  by  Vv'hich 
they  ihall  in  fome  fenfe,  yea,  to  a  great  degree,  be  united 
to  the  Eternal  and  moft  Glorious,  divine  Society,  and  par- 
take of  the  fame  river  of  enjoyment  and  pleafure,  which 
proceeds  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  in  a 
peculiar  and  eminent  fenfe. 

To  effect  this  in  the  bcft  manner  and  to  the  greateft 
advantage,  the  invifible  God,  who  eternally  dv/elt  in  the 
high  and  holy  place,  inlinitely  beyond  the  comprehen- 
fion  and  reach  of  a  creature,  muft  come  dov/n,  and  make 
himfelf  viable,  that  he  might  be  the  head,  the  life  and 
H  foul 


/»  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.  III. 

foul  of  a  vifible  and  moft  glorious  fociety.  This  has 
been  done  in  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  by 
which  the  greateft  purpofes  of  God*s  moral  kingdom 
are  anfwered  in  the  higheft:  poffible  degree,  and  all  hap- 
py intelligences,  efpecially  the  redeemed  from  among 
men,  are  brought  into  a  near  union  with  Cod,  and  arc 
under  fpecial  advantages  to  receive  communications 
from  him,  and  enjoy  his  love  and  friendfliip  in  a  man- 
ner and  degree  which  could  not  have  been  in  any  other 
way.  This  is  the  mutual  love  and  friendfhip  fpoken  of 
in  the  text,  which  takes  place  between  the  incarnate  Son 
of  God,  the  divine  Redeemer  of  loft  men^  and  his  church 
or  fpoufe,  or  every  one  of  the  redeemed. 

He  is  in  a  peculiar  and  diftinguilhed  fenfe  the  friend 
of  the  redeemed  ;  and  he  is  the  beloved  of  their  foul  in 
a  fenfe  and  degree  in  which  no  other  perfon  is,  or  can 
be :  and  hence  there  is  a  mutual  love  and  friendfiiip  be- 
tween them,  which  is  beyond  comparifon  the  moft  inti- 
mate, intenfe,  fv/eet  and  exalted  of  any  thing  of  the 
kind  between  any  other  friends  and  lovers,  unfpeakably 
furpafling  all  other  friendlhips  in  nature  and  degree,  at- 
tended with  the  higheft,  moft  noble,  tranfporting,  foul- 
raviihing  enjoyment  and  delight,  that  can  poliibly  exift, 
or  be  conceived  of. 

This  union  of  hearts,  this  mutual  love  and  friendlhip 
between  Chrift  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  and  believers 
in  him,  or  the  redeemed,  is  reprefented  in  fcripture  by 
the  inclination  and  affection  between  the  two  fexes  of 
which  mankind  conftft,  under  the  influence  of  which 
they  mutually  feek  and  come  into  a  peculiar  union  and 
intimacy  with  each  other,  in  which  they  may  enjoy 
each  other,  and  be  happy  in  the  exercife  of  mutual  love 
and  friendfhip.  It  is  reprefented  by  the  fweet  love  and 
affection  between  the  bridegroom  and  his  bride,  and' 
the  mutual  love  and  friendfhip,  and  folemn  engage- 
ments, by  which  the  hufoand  and  his  fpoufe  are  united,, 
and  become  one,,  and  are  happy  in  each  other.  And 
this  fimilitude  is,  beyond  doubt,  moft  wifely  and  pro- 
perly chofen,  by  which  to  reprcfent  this  ipiritual  union. 

and' 


SeRM.    III.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  5X 

and  friendfhip,  as  it  is  in  many  refpe£ls  the  moft  live* 
ly,  ftriking  emblem  and  image  of  it  that  can  be  found 
in  all  nature  -,  and  is  cfpecially  calculated  to  give  men 
the  beft  and  moll  clear  idea  of  it,  and  to  give  and  keep 
up  in  their  minds  a  conviction  and  fcnfe  of  the  reality, 
nature  and  happiuefs  of  fuch  a  union,  love  and  friend- 
fliip. 

This  feems  to  be  the  defign  of  this  fong  from  which 
the  words  of  the  text  are  taken.  It  is  indeed  a  Lcve^ 
fong^  in  which  the  higheft,  moft  noble,  pure  and  honour- 
able love  and  friendihip  between  Chrift  and  his  people  is 
reprefented  and  celebrated  under  the  limilitude  of  two 
lovers  whofe  hearts  are  united  in  the  ftrongeft,  the  moft 
pure  and  Iwccteft  love  of  efteem,  benevolence  and  com- 
placency, in  the  exercife  of  which  they  delire  and  feek 
the  enjoyment  of  each  other  in  the  neareft  union  and 
greateft  intimacy,  in  the  near  relation  of  huiband  and 
fpoufe.  This  is  therefore  called  The  So?ig  of  Songs^  i.  e. 
the  moft  excellent  fong,  efpecially  the  beft  and  moft  ex- 
cellent of  all  the  fongs  of  Solomon,  v/hich  we  are  told 
were  a  thovfand  and  Jive,  as  tlie  theme,  the  fubje^l  and 
matter  of  it,  is  by  far  the  m.oft  important,  entertaining, 
excellent  and  fubiime  j  in  order  to  which  Solomon  was 
divinely  infpired. 

As  the  virtuous,  pious  and  pure  love  between  a  man 
and  his  fpoufe  is  in  many  refpefts  the  moft  lively  and 
inftrudive  image  of  the  union  and  love  between  Chrift 
and  his  church,  God,  in  his  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  faw 
lit  to  give  fuch  a  reprefentation  of  it  in  a  divine  fong, 
as  wdiat  was  greatly  needed,  and  would  be  exceedi-ng 
ufeful  to  his  church  and  people.  And  though  the  car- 
nal and  inattentive,  or  thofe  who  are  ftrangers  to  this 
divine  love  and  friendihip,  may  call  it  all  foolilhnels, 
and  in  their  boafted  wifdom  defpife  and  ridicule  it,  or 
improve  it  only  to  carnal,  low  and  obfcene  purpofes ; 
yet  the  children  of  true  wifdom  will  juftify  the  wifdom 
of  God  herein,  and  adore  his  goqdnefs,  while  they  find 
themfelves  inftruded,  quickened  and  edified  hereby. 
And  every  true,  chafte  virgin  who  is  efpoufed  to  Chrift 

as 


52  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    III. 

as  the  beft  friend  and  fpiritual  hufband,  will  attend  to 
it,  and  meditate  upon  it,  with  a  peculiar  relilh,  and 
fweet  and  holy  delight,  which  unfpeakably  furpaifes 
every  thing  the  unholy  foul  can  enjoy,  or  even  imagine. 
The  words  of  the  text  are  the  conclufion  of  the  an- 
fwer  to  a  qneftion  put  to  the  fpoufe,  viz.  What  is  thy  be- 
lo'ued,  viore  than  another  bdo'ued?  She  readily  anfwers,  by 
giving  a  particular  deicription  of  his  charming  beauties 
and  fuperlative  excellence,  by  which  he  is  diilinguiftied 
from  all  others,  the  chief  aniong  ten  thoufands  ;  and 
then  fums  up  all  in  one  word,  by  faying,  He  is  altogether 
lovely.  He  has  the  higheil  beauty,  excellence  and  per- 
feftion,  and  has  nothing  elfe.  Having  thus  given  his 
characler,  Ihe  fays,  with  reference  to  the  queftion.  This 
is  my  beloved^  and  this  is  ?ny  friend.  This  is  the  perfon, 
this  is  the  character,  with  which  I  am  fo  deeply  in  love  ; 
I  am  not  afliamed  to  own  him  to  be  the  beloved  of  my 
foul.  And  this  is  my  befi;  friend,  whole  heart  is  fst  on 
me,  and  he  loves  mie  as  much  as  I  can  defire. 

The  mutual  love  and  friendship  between  Chrift  and 
the  believer,  you  v^^ili  obferve,  is  expreffed  here.  The 
true  Chriftian  has  fet  his  love  on  Chrift ;  he  is  his  be- 
loved ;  he  has  given  his  heart  to  him,  as  to  one  v.'ho  is 
the  chief  among  ten  thoufands,  and  altogether  lovely. 
And  Chrift  loves  him  moft  tenderly,  in  the  charafter  of 
a  true,  faithful  and  all-fuihcient  friend  and  patron,  and 
fo  returns  love  for  love. 

The  words  do  then  lead  us  to  attend  to  Chrift,  as  he 
is  here  pointed  out,  in  the  charafter  of  the  beloved 
friend  of  his  people,  the  redeemed  from  among  men. 

It  may  be  faid  in  general,  that  Chrift,  the  glorious 
head  and  huflmnd  of  his  church,  has  every  thing  in  him 
tliat  can  poihbly  come  into  the  character  of  the  beft 
friend,  and  that  to  an  inconceivable  and  iniinite  degree  ; 
and  there  is  nothing  belongs  to  him  but  what  ferves  to 
complete  and  perfed  this  character;  yea, he  is  at  an  in- 
fmite  diftance  from  every  t^hing  c}St.  And  his  relation 
to  his  people,  and  all  his  conduct  towards  them,  are 
fuch,  and  fuch  are  all  the  circum.ftances  of  this  friend- 

fliip, 


SeRM.    III.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  53 

fliip,  as  to  confpire  to  make  It  the  moft  fweet,  ravidilng, 
noble  and  exalted  that  in  the  nature  of  things  can  be ; 
and  render  him  in  the  higheft  pofiible  degree  a  deurable, 
worthy  and  excellent  friend. 

But,  for  the  better  iiluftration  of  this  point,  the  fol- 
lowing particulars  may  be  attended  to. 

1.  He  is  the  moft  able  friend,  even  an  omnipotent 
and  ali-fufScient  one.  He  can  do  whatever  he  pleafes. 
He  has  ajTufEciency  of  power  and  wifdom  in  all  poilible 
cafes,  and  is  perfectly  able  to  do  for  his  friends,  who 
love  and  truft  in  him,  v/hatever  they  need,  or  can  polh- 
bly  want  to  have  done.  All  other  friends  are  deficient 
in  this  refpeft  :  though  they  may  have  fome  fufiiciency 
and  abihty  to  do  fome  things  for  us,  yet  it  is  but  in- 
fmitely  little  they  can  do,  compared  with  what  we  want 
to  have  done.  We  are  infinitely  needy  ;  and  muft  be 
eternally  moft  miferablc  and  v/retched,  unlefs  v/e  have 
fome  friend  to  help  us,  v/ho  is  fully  able  to  go  through 
with  the  work,  and  do  ail  we  want  to  have  done,  even 
in  the  moft  extreme,  and,  without  fuch  a  friend,  a  def- 
perate  cafe.  Now  Chrift  is  fuch  a  friend.  lie  is  under- 
ftanding  and  wife,  perfectly  to  knov/  what  our  cafe  is, 
and  what  v/e  want,  and  what  is  the  wifeft  and  beft  way 
to  afford  relief,  and  fupply  all  cur  wants  ;  and  he  has 
full  power  to  do  whatever  his  v/ifdora  dictates.  And  in 
this  refpecl  he  is  diftinguiilied  from  all  other  perfons  in 
the  univerfe  ;  none  but  he  was  able  to  befriend  us  in  the 
cafe  in  which  v/e  are.  This  will  more  fully  appear,  be- 
fore we  have  done. 

2.  He  has  the  heart  of  a  friend  in  all  refpefls,  and 
to  the  m.cft  perfect  degree  ;  or,  he  is  willing  and  fully 
engaged  to  do  all  he  can  do  for  his  people ;  all  they  c?.n 
poflibly  want  to  have  done  in  any  cafe,  and  at  any  time. 
All  other  friends  fail  here.  Though  thev  are  able  to  do 
but  little  for  their  friends  comparatively,  yet  they  nave 
not  goodnefs  enough  to  do  all  they  can,  in  all  cafes,  and 
at  all  times.  They  have  not  the  heart  of  a  friend  to 
perf9Cticn ;  fo  are  not  friendly  to  the  utmoft  of  their 
power  at  all  times,  but  may  be  very  unfriendly  in  fome 

inftances  -, 


54  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    Ill, 

inftances  ;  therefore  cannot  be  relied  upon  without  cau- 
tion, and  danger  of  being  difappointed.  But  Chrift  has 
the  heart  of  a  friend  to  inhnite  perfection,  fo  that  he 
can  be  relied  upon  in  all  cafes,  without  any  limits  or 
danger.  His  benevolence  to  his  people  is  without  any 
bounds,  and  fufficient  to  furmount  the  greateft  difficul- 
ties in  the  way  of  their  good,  and  prompt  him  to  do 
things  inlinitely  great  for  them,  and  beltow  on  them 
the  beft  and  the  greateft  good,  how^ever  unworthy  and 
ill-deferving  they  are,  and  however  criminal  and  vile 
their  conduft  has  been  towards  him,  in  the  moft  aggra- 
vated and  horrid  abufe  of  his  goodnefs. 

3.  He  is  a  friend  on  whom  we  are  dependent,  and 
to  whom  we  are  indebted  and  beholden  in  the  higheft 
poffible  degree.  This  gives  great  advantage  to  love  and 
friendfhip,  where  the  friends  and  lovers  are  not  equal, 
but  one  fuperior  to  the  other,  and  the  other's  benefac- 
tor and  faviour  to  fuch  a  degree  as  to  lay  his  friend 
tinder  the  greateft  obligations  to  love  and  gratitude, 
And  the  greater  this  dependence  is,  and  the  more  one 
friend  has  received  from,  and  is  indebted  to  another, 
in  this  way,  the  more  fweet  and  happy  is  the  love  and 
friendfhip  between  them..  It  is  indeed  contrary  to 
pride,  and  an  heart  th^t  is  not  formed  for  true  friend- 
ihip,  to  be  thus  united  to  fuch  a  fuperior  as  a  friend, 
and  to  be  thus  dependent  upon,  and  wholly  indebted 
and  beholden  to  him  for  every  thing ;  but  it  is  not  fo, 
but  direftly  the  contrary,  with  the  truly  humble  finner  : 
that  friend  will  be  moil  agreeable  to  fuch  an  one  on 
whom  he  is  mofc  dependent,  and  to  whom  he  is  in  the 
hiccheft  decree  obiip'ed  ;  and  we  cannot  form  an  idea  of 
any  other  two  friends  fo  happy  as  thefe,  when  this  is 
the  cafe  to  the  higheft  poffible  degree,  or  conceive  of  any 
friendfliip  fo  great,  advantageous  and  fweet  as  this.  It 
jeems  indeed  to  belong  to  the  nature  of  true  creature 
friendfliiD,  even  to  deiire  and  deli^^ht  in  this  circumftance, 
viz.  to  be  greatly  indebted  and  beholden  to  the  friend 
we  efteem  and  love  :  the  greater  obligations  we  are  un- 
der to  hhiij  the  belter  plcafed  wc  are,  and  the  more 

fweet 


SeRM.    in.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP,  r^ 

fweet  is  the  love  and  friendfliip.  This  feems  to  be  o-.v. 
ing  to  two  things  efpecially  ;  one  is,  that  licrcby  \vc 
have  a  clear  and  flriking  evidence  of  our  friend's  love 
to  us  ;  which  muft  give  fweetnefs  and  enjoyment  in 
proportion  to  our  love  to  him.  The  other  is,  that 
hereby  we  are  led  to  feel  and  exercife  a  love  of  grati- 
tude, which  is  peculiarly  fwcet,  in  proportion  to  the 
love  of  efteem,  benevolence  and  complacency  we  have 
for  our  friend.  In  this  view,  the  more  we  are  obliged^ 
the  better ;  and  the  greater  fatisfaclion  and  fweetnefs 
we  have  in  the  friendihip.  And  on  the  other  hand,  the 
more  the  other  has  done  for  the  obliged  friend,  and  the 
greater  benefactor  he  has  been  to  him,  the  higher  en- 
joyment and  happinefs  he  has,  in  proportion  to  his  be- 
nevolence and  love  to  him. 

Hence  it  is,  that  where  perfons  have  undertaken  to 
reprefent  the  higheft  and  m.ofl  affecllng  inftances  of 
true  love  and  friendihip,  and  the  greateil  degree  of  en- 
joyment and  happinefs  in  fuch  friendfliip,  and  exhibit 
this  to  the  beft  advantage  in  a  feigned  ftory  or  ro- 
mance, they  have  formicd  a  hifcory  of  fome  one  of  a 
high  and  excellent  character,,  and  of  a  generous,,  bene- 
volent fpirit,  fetting  his  heart  on  one  in  a  m.ean,  low 
and  miferable  ftate  and  circumflances,  to  be  his  fpoufe. 
She  is^  for  inllance,  taken  captive  by  her  enemies,  and 
reduced  to  the  greateft  poverty  and  diftrefs,  and  her 
life  eminently  expofed.  He„  in  order  to  redeem  and 
deliver  her,  and  procure  her  for  his  bride  and  fpoufe,. 
goes  through  a  long  (cries  of  fclf-deniat  and  fufferings  ; 
IS  at  gi-eat  expenfe,  and  does  great  exploits,  and  expoies 
his  lite  to  an  eminent  degree,  without  which  fhe  nvj.it 
have  perifhed  in  the  hands  of  her  cruel  foes.  And 
thus  he  delivers  her,  by  rilking  all  that  is  dear  to  him 
in  her  behalf,  and,  in  a  fenfe,  giving  his  own  life  for 
her  ;  fo  that  Ihe  entirely  owes  her  life,  and  all  ihe  has, 
to  him,  and  is  under  the  greateft  imaginable  obligations 
to  him.  In  this  way  he  procures  her  for  his  fpoufe. 
and  brings  her  into  the  neareil  union  to.  himleif,  and  a. 
foundation   is  laid  for  the   greateft   happincis  in  cacli 

OtllOT, 


^S  CHRiS^IAlsr    FRlENbSKI?.  SjERMi   III 

Other,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  moft  fweet  love  and 
friendfhip  ;  every  way  to  an  unfpeakably  greater  degree 
than  could  have  been  in  different  circumflances,  or  in 
any  other  way,  in  which  fhe  would  not  have  been  fo 
much  dependent  upon,  and  fo  greatly  obliged  to  him. 

This  is  but  a  faint  Ihadov/  of  the  cafe  before  us,  with 
refped  to  Chrift,  the  friend  and  bridegroom  of  his 
church  and  people.  They  are  fallen  into  an  infinitely 
calamitous  and  evil  Rate  ;  a  ftate  of  complete,  total  and 
eternal  deftrudion  ;  into  the  hands  of  the  devilj  their 
-great  and  potent  enemy,  and  under  the  difpleafure  and 
curfe  of  the  God  that  made  them :  being  infinitely 
guilty  and  ill  defer ving,  the  prifoners  of  juftice,  bound 
over  to  fufFer  his  eternal  v/rath  ;  not  being  able  or  dif* 
pofed  to  help  and  deliver  themfelves  in  the  leafl  degree. 
The  Son  of  God  was  the  only  perfon  in  the  univerfe 
that  was  able  to  redeem  and  fave  them ;  and  he  was 
not  under  the  lead  obligation  to  do  it.  But  he  volun- 
tarily OiTered  him.felf,  and  undertook  this  moft  difficult, 
coflly  and  mighty  work  ;  and  that  from  pure  love  and 
benevolence  to  tliefe  loft  and  infinitely  miferable  crea- 
tures, and  a  defire  to  procure  and  prefent  to  himfelf  a 
glorious  church,  a  bride,  not  having  fpot  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  fuch  thing,  but  perfectly  beautiful  and  holy,  and 
without  blemifh,  being  brought  into  the  neareft  and 
everlafting  union  and  friendfhip  with  him.felf. 

In  order  to  this,  he  gave  himfelf  for  them.  Though 
he  was  a  perfon  of  infinite  dignity,  riches  and  worth, 
he  became  poor,  and  humbled  himfelf  fo  as  to  become  a 
fervant,  and  fubjefted  him.felf  to  the  greateft  ignominy 
and  fufferings,  even  unto  death.  He  voluntarily  put 
him.felf  into  the  place  and  circumftances  of  his  fpoufe, 
and  when  her  whole  intcreft  lay  at  ftakc,  and  Ihe  was 
in  a  ftate  of  complete  deftruftion,  he  took  the  v/hole  of 
her  deftrudion  and  fufferings  on  himfelf,  and  went 
through  with  the  matter :  he  drank  the  whole  of  the 
bitter  cup,  that  ftie  might  efcape  ;  he  gave  his  life  for 
her  ranfom,  and  fpilt  his  own  blood  in  the  moft  try- 
ing circumftances,   that  he  might   com.pletely  redeem 

her 


SeRM.    in.  THRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  57 

her  from  the  jaws  of  the  moft  dreadful  and  etefnal  dc- 
ftruction,  and  deliver  her  from  the  hand  and  power  of 
all  her  enemies.  He  has  furvived  the  dreadful  fcene, 
having  completed  the  greatefl  and  moft  dillicult  work 
that  ever  was,  or  ever  will  or  can  be  undertaken,  and  yet 
lives  to  efpoufe  the  caufe  of  his  people  ;  and  will  not 
ftop  till  he  has  completed  the  matter,  and  fandified  and 
cleanfed  every  one  of  them  with  the  walhing  of  water 
by  the  word,  and  brought  them  into  the  moft  near, 
and  an  everlailing  union  and  friendlhip  with  himfelf,  in 
the  moft  perfect  enjoyment  of  his  love,  riches,  honours 
and  happinefs  forever  and  ever. 

Thus  the  redeemed  have  a  Friend,  not  only  in  him- 
felf moft  excellent  and  worthy,  and  full  of  the  greateft 
benevolence  and  goodnefs,  but  one  on  whom  they  are 
in  the  higheft  degree  dependent,  and  to  whom  they  are 
indebted  and  obliged  in  the  higheft  imaginable  or  even 
poilible  degree,  in  a  manner  which  is  moft  pleaiing  to 
them,  and  ferves  to  render  him  unfpeakably  more  ex- 
cellent and  worthy  in  their  eyes,  and  give  a  fv/eetnefs 
to  their  love  and  friendfliip,  which  could  not  be  known, 
in  any  other  circumftances. 

No  other  creatures  in  the  univerfe  have  fuch  a  friend 
as  this.  The  angels  have  no  fuch  friend.  When  fome 
of  them  fell  into  lin  and  wo,  they  had  no  friend  to  re- 
deem them.  And  the  redeemed  from  among  men  have 
had  infinitely  more  done  for  them,  and  they  are  infi- 
nitely more  dependent  on  the  Son  of  God  for  all  good 
and  happinefs,  and  indebted  and  obliged  to  him^  than 
the  angels  are.  They  are  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife, 
who  are  by  him  redeemed  out  of  great  tribulation,  from 
a  ftate  of  infinite  wo,  in  which  they  lay  perfectly  help- 
lefs  ;  that  he  might  enjoy  them  forever  in  a  peculiar 
union  and  friendlhip,  which  exceeds  every  thing  of  this 
kind  in  all  poilible  degrees.  Thefe  circumftances  lay  a 
foundation  for  a  fweetnefs  and  enjoyment  immenfelv 
higher  than  could  take  place  in  any  other  way.  In  a 
fenfe  and  acknowledgment  of  what  Chrift  has  done  for 
them,  and  their  peculiar  dependence  upon,  and  obliga- 
X'  tions 


58  CHRISTIAN    TRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    IIL 

tions  to  him,  tlie  redeemed  will  exercife  a  kind  of  hum- 
ble, fweet  and  beautiful  love  towards  their  Friend  and  Re- 
deemer, \\  hich  is  peculiar  to  them,  and  never  could  have 
had  an  exiilence  in  any  other  way  but  this  ;  and  which 
will  be  the  eternal  fource  of  a  moft  fweet  and  high  en- 
joyment, which  no  ftranger,  none  but  the  beloved  bride, 
not  even  the  angels,  can  intermeddle  with  or  tafte.  In 
the  exercife  of  this  peculiarly  fweet  love  and  friendfliip 
towards  their  infmitely  dear  and  glorious  Friend  and  Re- 
deemer, they  will  eternally  fmg  a  new  foiig^  which  none 
but  the  redeemed,  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  can  poffi- 
bly  fmg  or  learn,  to  all  eternity  ;  no,  not  even  the  highcft 
and  bed  angel  in  heaven  ;.  laying,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wifdom,  and  ftrength, 
and  honour,  and  glory ;  for  thou  waft  ilain,  and  haft 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  tliy  blood,  and  haft  made  us 
kings  and  priefts  unto  God."  Well  then  may  they 
now  begin  to  fay,  with  a  heart-felt  fweetnefs,  and  joy 
which  is  unfpeakable  and  full  of  glory,  "  This  is  my  be- 
loved, and  this  is  my  friend.'* 

4.  Jefus  Chrift  is  a  friend  who  has  exercifed  the 
liighefl  degrees  of  love,  and  has  given  the  greateft  polli- 
ble  teftimonies  of  it. 

In  order  to  true  friendfiiip  there  muft  be  mutual  love. 
This  is  effential  to  the  character  of  our  friend,  that  he 
loves  us  j  and  he  acts  in  this  character,  and  maintains 
friendlhip,  by  exerciling  love,  and  giving  proper  tokens 
and  mantfeftations  of  it,  on  all  occaiions.  Solomon  ob- 
ferves,  that  "  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times."  And  he  is 
the  greateft  friend,  whofe  love  is  the  ftrongeft,  and  is 
iexercifed  and  manifeftcd  in  the  moft  diflicuit  and  try- 
ing circumftances. 

Now  Chrift  has  diftinguifhed  himfeif  from  all  others 
in  this  relbe<5t,  and  has  difcovered  himfeif  to  be  infinite- 
ly the  greateft  and  beft  friend.  This  appears  from 
what  was  fiid,  under  the  laft  particular,  of  what  Chrift 
has  done  and  fufTered  for  his  fpoufe  ;  for  in  all  this  he 
exercifed  and  exprcflcd  his  love,  and  that  in  the  moft 
trying  circumftances,  and  to  the  higheft  poftlblc  degree, 
.  *  One 


SfiRM.    III.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  59 

One  thing  that  recommends  a  friend,  and  adds  to  his 
worth  and  excellence,  and  makes  him  dear  to  his  belov- 
ed, is,  that  he  is  a  tried  friend ;  he  has  perfevered  in  his 
friendniip,  and  exercifed  and  expreiled  liis  love  in  the 
moft  diilicult  cafe  imaginable  i  in  doing  which  he  has 
been  at  the  greateft  pains  and  coft,  while  he  had  the 
created  temptations  to  give  up  his  beloved.  Jefus  Chriil 
is  fuch  a  trk'd  friend,  and  that  to  the  greateft  poliiblc 
degree. 

"  Greater  love  hath  no  man,"  fays  this  greateft  and 
chief  of  all  friends,  "  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  friends.'*  But  Chrift's  love  and  friend- 
fliip  has  infinitely  exceeded  this.  He  has  done  and  fuf- 
fered  more  for  his  people  than  merely  dying  for  them, 
a  thoufand  tifnes  over.  He  drank  the  bitter  cup  for 
them,  which  was  infinitely  more  than  merely  dying  a 
violent  death.  He  was  made  a  curfe  for  them,  and  fuf- 
fered  a  fenfe  of  the  wrath  of  God.  This  drank  up  his 
fpirits  :  the  foretafte  of  it  threw  him  into  the  moil 
amazing  agony  :  and  this  made  him  cry  out,  in  inex- 
preilible  and  moft  aftonifliing  anguifh,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  haft  tliou  forfaken  me  !"  What  is  the  moft 
cruel  death  that  ever  martyr  fuffered,  to  this  ?  The 
martyrs  have  been  able  to  rejoice  in  the  midft  of  all  the 
keeneft  tortures  enemies  could  inflict.  They  have  fung 
in  the  flames,  and  found  it  the  moft  happy,  joyful  hour 
they  ever  faw.  And  fo  might  Chrift  have  done  on  the 
-crofs,  had  he  but  their  fupports,  and  no  more  to  fuflcr 
than  they.  But  what  he  fuffered  in  his  death  was  fome- 
thing  infinitely  greater  and  more  terrible.  Under  this 
infinite  weight  he  hung  on  the  crofs,  and  at  laft  bowed 
his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghoft.  This  was  dying  in  a  fenfe 
and  degree  in  which  no  other  perfon  ever  did.  To 
die  thus  was  infinitely  more,  and  greater,  and  more 
dreadful,  than  the  death  of  ail  the  ten  thoufand  mar- 
tyrs who  have  fallen  a  facrifice  to  the  cruelty  of  their 
bloody  perfecutors.  Yea,  it  was  as  great  a  thing  and 
equivalent  to  the  eternal  death  and  deftrudion  which 
the  redeemed  deferve,  and  were  expofed  to  :  for  he  died 

in 


^O  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.   Ill, 

in  their  ftead  ;  he  took  their  death  and  eternal  deftruc- 
tion  on  himfd£  On  him  it  fell  in  its  full  weight,  and 
he  bore  and  went  through  it  all.  He  knew  what  it 
would  coft  him  to  efpoufe  the  caufe  of  fmners ;  yet  he 
voluntarily  undertook,  put  himfelf  in  their  circumftan- 
ces  (tin  only  excepted)  and  went  through  with  it,  with- 
out flinching  in  the  leail  degree.  Here  is  an  inftance  of 
love  and  friendfliip,  to  which  there  neither  is,  nor  can 
be,  any  parallel  in  the  univerfe.  This  is  the  evidence 
and  token  of  love  which  Chriit  has  given  to  his  people  j 
which  is  infinitely  the  greateft  that  ever  was,  or  can  be. 

Belides,  the  love  of  Chrift  to  his  people  will  appear 
yet  greater,  if  we  confider  their  native  chara<r?er  and 
4ilpofition  towards  him.  He  loved  them,  and  died  for 
them,  when  they  were  not  only  mean,  worthlefs,  un- 
M^orthy  and  infinitely  guilty,  but  his  enemies^  difpoied  ta 
hate,  defpile  and  oppofe  him,  in  his  whole  charafter  and 
in  all  his  ways ;  and  even  in  his  moft  aftonifhing  works 
of  love  and  kindncfs  to  them.  Herein  he  has  com- 
mended his  love  to  us,  in  that,  when  we  were  his  great 
and  inexcufable  enemies,  he  died  for  us.  It  is  a  much 
higher  exercife  of  love,  and  a  greater  teftimony  of  it,  to 
love  and  die  for  an  enemy,  a  bafe,  odious  injurious 
creature,  than  it  would  be  to  do  this  for  an  excellent, 
benevolent  and  much  efteemed  friend. 

What  higher  evidence  and  teftimony  could  Chrift 
give  of  his  love  of  benevolence,  to  thofe  whom  he  re- 
deems, than  this  !  And  v/hat  higher  acl  of  love  and 
friendfliip  can  there  be  !'  Surely  his  love  to  his  people 
cannot  be  doubted  of.  And  if  he  thus  loved  them 
when  they  were,  his  vile  enemies,  he  will  continue  to 
iove  them  now  they  are  reconciled,  and  have  chofen 
him  for  their  beft  friend  and  patron.  And  this  is  an 
exercife  and  evidence  of  a  ftrons;  and  wonderful  love, 
that  will  unfpeakably  endear  him  to  them,  and  add  an 
inexprefilble  Iweetneis  to  this  friendiliip  forever. 

And,  as  the  eS'ect  and  further,  evidence  of  this  love, 
fee  gives  them  his  Holy  Spirit  to  change  their  hearts, 
deliver  them  from  the  dominion  of  fin,  and  the  flave- 

ry 


Serm.  hi.        christian  friendship.  "  6l 

ry  to  Satan,  in  which  they  naturally  are,  and  implant 
lafting  principles  of  holinefs  and  love  to  him,  by  which 
their  hearts  are  purified,  and  imite  themfelves  to  him, 
with  the  moft  perfe6t  bond  and  union  of  love  and  friend- 
fliip.  This  is  another  pledge  of  his  great,  everlafting 
and  unchangeable  love  to  them.  And  the  faints  in  this 
world,  fo  far  as  they  have  the  evidence  that  they  are 
the  fubje£ts  of  fuch  a  work  of  grace,  may  well  rejoice, 
and  with  unfpeakably  fweet  delight  give  praife  "  unto 
him  that  has  loved  them,  and  waflied  them  from  their 
11ns  in  his  own  blood."  What  wonderful,  fovereign 
love  and  grace  Is  this,  which  overtakes  and  falls  upon 
the  guilty,  finful  wretch,  while  in  his  full  career  to  hell, 
running  on  in  the  molf  daring,  mad  oppolition  to  Chrift, 
and  contempt  of  him,  without  the  ieaft  difpofition  to 
hearken  to  the  voice  of  wifdom,  and  turn  at  his  re- 
proof! Every  true  Chriftian  afcribes  all  this  to  Chrift, 
and  is  fo  affected  with  his  preventing,  fovereign  love 
and  grace,  herein  exercifed  and  manifefled,  as  to  taite 
an  unfpeakable  fweetnefs  in  it.  With  what  fweet  de- 
light does  he  often  fay,  "  If  I  have  the  Ieaft  degree  of 
love  to  Chrift,  and  a  heart  to  know,  fubmit  to  and 
truft  in  him,  this  is  the  effe6l  of  his  eternj.1  preventing, 
fovereign  love  and  grace,  which  alone  has  made  the  dif- 
ference between  me  and  thofe  who  run  on  in  their  mad 
courfe  to  hell!  Not  unto  me,  not  unto  me,  but  to  thy 
wonderful,  diftinguifliing  love  and  grace,  be  all  the  glo- 
ry !'* 

It  may  be  alfo  obferved  here,  that  Chrift  has  given, 
them  his  Spirit,  by  which  they  are  fealed  to  the  day  or 
redemption,  and  as  the  pledge  and  earneft  of  their  eter- 
nal inheritance,  fo  a  pledge  and  token  of  his  unchangea-. 
ble,  everlafting  love  to  them.  He  has  indeed  givea 
himfelf,  and  all  things,  to  them;  he  has  made  them  heirs 
of  the  whole  univerfe.  He  has  made  and  is  doing 
all  things  for  their  fakes.  He  fays  to  his  church  or 
redeemed  ones,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the  Holy 
One  of  Ifrael,  thy  Saviour  ;  I  gave  Egypt  for  thy  ran- 
fom,  Ethiopia  and  Seba  for  thee.     Since  thou  waft  pre-. 

ciousu 


^i  CH8,ISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP*  SeRM.  IV. 

dous  in  my  fight,  thou  haft  been  honourable,  and  I  have 
loved  thee  :  therefore  will  I  give  men  for  thee,  and  peo- 
ple for  thy  life."  (Ifa.  xliii.  3,  4.)  Surely  Chrift  Ihews 
the  greateil  love  imaginable  to  his  people,  fmce  he 
gfves  them  all  he  has  to  give,  and  withholds  ?io  one 
^ood  thing  Irom  them.  Now  the  more  love  he  has  to 
his  people,  and  the  higher  and  more  clear  evidence  he 
gives  of  it,  fo  much  the  more  excellent  and  valuable 
friend  he  is  to  them  5  and  their  happinefs  in  him  as  a 
friend  will  be  in  proportion  to  this.  How  infinitely 
diftinguijulied,  in  this  refpecf,  is  Chrift  from  all  other 
friends  !  Well  may  the  Chriftian  fay,  "  This  is  my  be- 
loved, and  this  is  mv  friend. 


Sermon  iv. 


The  fame  Subje^  continued. 


Cant.  V.  1 6.     This  is  my  bek'ved,  and  this  is  my  friend, 

5.TESUS  CHRIST,  the  Chriftian*s  friend,  is  a  perfoiij 
^1  of  infinite  dignity,  worth  and  excellence.  He  has 
all  this  to  the  higheft  poflible  perfedion  and  extent,  fo 
that  no  imagination  can  poiTibly  exceed  it.  This  his  true 
dignity,  worth  and  excellence,  in  himfelf  confidered,  in- 
finitely heightens  his  character  and  worth  as  a  friend,  and 
lays  a  foundation  for  the  moft  fweet,  exalted  and  grow- 
ing happinefs  in  his  love  and  friendfhip  to  all  eternity. 
He  who  has  no  true  worth'  and  excellence  cannot  be  juft- 
ly  valued  and  delighted  in  at  all,  as  a  friend,  and  there 
is  ■  no  foundation  for  a  happy  fricndfliip  with  fuch  an 
one.  .  Worth  and  excellence  therefore  comes  into  the 
eflence  of  the  charafter  of  a  friend :  and  the  more  any 
one  has  of  this,  the  more  is  he  to  be  prized  as  a  friend,  < 
arid  the  greater  happinefs  is  to  be  enjoyed  in  his  love^- 

and 


Sf.RM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  63 

and  fricndiliip.     A  friend  gives  himfelf"  to  his  beloved ; 
fo  that  the  more  dignity,  worth  and  excellence  he  has, 
the  more  he  gives  to  the  perlbn  he  admits  into  imion 
and  friendfliip  with  him.     Therefore  the  more  worth 
and  excellence  any  perfon  has,  the  more  wc  naturally, 
and  juftly,  prize  his  love  and  fViendfhip,  and  the  more 
fwcctneis  and  pleafure  we  have  in  it.    We  pri^e  and  de- 
light in  the  love  of  another  in  proportion  to.  our  efteem 
of  him,  and  the  fenfe  we  have  of  his  true  excellence, 
dignity  and  worthinefs.     How  much  better  is  it  to  us 
to  be  the  objeds  of  the  love  of  fome  dignified  perfon- 
age,  who  appears  to  us  to  have  ail  the  excellence  and- 
attrading  charms  of  human  nature,  and  to  have  him 
our  friend,  than  to  have  the  love  and  friendlhip  of  one 
who  is  in  our  eyes  abfolutely  v/orthlefs  and  contempti- 
ble !     I  need  not  therefore,  yea,  I  cannot,  fay  of  how 
much  advantage  the  dignity  and  excellence  of  Chrift  13 
in  this  friendlhip,  in  this  view.     The  higher  the  Chrif- 
tian  rifes  in  his  efteem  of  Chrift,  the  more  he  fees  of 
his  dignity  and  excellence,   the  more  pleafcd  and  de- 
lighted he  will  neceflarily  be   in  being  the  objecu  of  his 
embraces  and  love.     Surely  then  he  had  rather  in  this 
view  be  beloved  by  Chrilt  than  by  all  the  world  be- 
{ides ;   and  nothing  can  fill  his  breaft  with  fuch    over- 
flowing delight  as  to  be  able  to  fay.  This  is  my  beloved;, 
and  this  is  my  friend.      And  this  lays  a  foundation  for 
efteem  and  complacency,  without  which  there  can  be  no 
happy  friendlhip ;  and  the  higher  this  rifes,  the  more 
happinefs  and  enjoyment  there  is  in  a  friend.     Chrift  in 
this  refpecl  is  diftinguifhed  from  ail  other  perfons  in  the 
univerfe,  as  the  beft  friend,  in  union  and  love  to  whom 
there  may  be  the  higheft  happinefs.     We  are  in  our- 
felves  fo  mean  and  low,  and  of  fuch  little  worth,  that 
we  cannot  enjoy  friendftiip  to  the  beft  advantage  with 
thofe  who  are  our  equals.     The  more  dicrnified  and  ex- 
cellent  our  friend  is,  and  the  more  diftinguifhed  he  h 
from  us,  and  the  more  above  us,  in  this  refpect,  the 
more   happy   ihall   w^e    necelfarily   be   in  his  love  and 
friendftiip.     In  Chrift  therefore  believers  have  all  that- 

CUJl 


64  CHRIt^TiAk   FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    IV, 

can  be  dclired  in  a  fricrid,  in  this  refpe<5t.  In  him  they 
have  an  inexhauftible  fund  for  high  and  growing  en-- 
joynient  ;  and,  in  a  fenfe  of  his  dignity  and  excellence, 
.their  ravilhed  hearts  will  fwell  with,  extatic  delight, 
while  they  feel  and  fay,  "  This  is  my  beloved^  and  this  is 

MY    FRIF.ND." 

6.  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  moil  condefcending,  famihar 
friend. 

Where  there  is  a  great  imparity  in  two  friends,  the 
one  very  high,  honourable  and  worthy,  and  the  other 
mean  and  low,  it  is  inconfiftent  with  the  moft  fweet  and 
happy  friendlhip,  unlefs  he  who  is  dignified  and  exalted^ 
and'is  every  way  fo  much  fuperior  to  the  other,  knows 
how,  and  is  difpofed,  to  exercife  condefcenfion  equal  to 
his  true  dignity  and  worth,  fo  as  to  practiie  as  great  fa- 
miliarity and  intimacy  with  his  friend  who  is  fo  much 
beneath  him,  as  if  he  were  his  equah  But  where  this 
h  tlie  cafe,  the  great  fuperiority  of  one  to  the  other 
gives  a  great  advantage  to  the  friendfhip,  and  renders  it 
more  fweet  and  happy  to  the  inferior  ;  fo  that  the  more 
worthy  and  exalted  his  friend  is,  the  higher  enjoyment 
he  has  in  the  friendihip.  This  imparity  in  ftation  and 
dignity  is  commonly  in  the  way  of  the  enjoyment  of 
true  friendihip  among  men  in  this  world ;  becaufe  the 
great  and  exalted  know  not  how  to  condefcend  and 
ftoop  to  the  mean  and  low,  in  a  manner  and  degree 
that  is  in  fuch  a  cafe  neceflary,  but  are  difpofed  to  keep 
themfeives  at  a  diftance. 

But  Chrift  is  in  this  refpech  the  m.ofl  excellent  friend  ; 
for  his  condefcenfion  and  humility  are  equal  to  his  high 
exaltation  and  dignity  ,  and  he  admits  his  friends,  how- 
ever mean,  unworthy  and  defpicable  they  are  in  them- 
feives, to  as  great  familiarity  and  intimacy,  as  if  he 
were  but  their  equal ;  fo  that  his  fuperiority  and  digni- 
ty give  great  advantage  to  the  friendlliip,  in  this  re- 
fpcd. 

And  here  it  is  of  importance  to  obfcrve,  that  his  /;z- 
camafion,  or  union  to  the  human  nature,  by  which  he 
is  a  real  man,  even  Irunanucl,  God  with  us,  is  of  infinite 

advantage 


SlRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  C^ 

advantage  with  refpecl  to  this.  God  is  infinitely  the 
beft  friend  ;  but  it  is  impoifible  he  fliould  communicate 
himfelf  to  creatures,  and  become  their  condefcending, 
famiUar  friend,  in  any  other  way,  fo  well,  and  to  fo  great 
advantage,  as  by  uniting  himfelf  to  their  nature,  fo  as 
to  become  one  of  them.  In  this  view,  as  well  as  on  ma- 
ny other  accounts,  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  is 
a  moft  wife  and  gracious  contrivance,  as  it  is  adapted 
in  the  higheft  poflible  degree  to  promote  the  happinefs 
of  creatures,  efpeciahy  of  the  redeemed,  in  the  love  and 
enjoyment  of  God*  God  hereby  comes  down  to  crea- 
tures in  a  v/ay  and  manner  fuited  to  their  nature  and 
capacity,  and  difcovers  and  communicates  him.felf  to 
them  to  the  greateft  poiTible  advantage  ;  and  there  is  a 
foundation  laid  for  that  condefcenfion  to  men,  and  inti- 
mate love  and  friendly  familiarity  between  Chrift  and 
.his  people,  which  could  not  have  been  in  any  other  way. 
The  Moft  High  God  is  become  a  man,  a  moft  mxcek, 
humble,  condefcending  man,  able  and  difpofed  to  take 
his  people  into  the  m.oit  intimate  union  and  familiarity  ; 
while  this  man  has  all  the  dignity  and  honour  of  divini- 
ty. Thus  the  man  Chrift  jei3js  will  eternally  be  the 
medium  of  a  kind  and  degree  of  com.munication  of  the 
Deity  to  creatures,  which  could  be  in  no  other  way, 
and  which  is  every  way  adapted  to  ralfe  them  up  and 
make  them  happy  :  and  the  redeemed  have  a  moft  con- 
defcending, intimate  friend  in  the  perfon  of  Chrift,  who 
is  both  God  and  man,  w'ho  cannot  be  equalled  by  any 
other  peribn  in  the  univerfe  ;  and  in  union  and  friend- 
fiiip  with  whom,  tliey  have  the  higheft  enjoyment  and 
happinefs. 

The  condefcenfion  of  Chrift,  as  a  moft  tender,  inti- 
mate and  familiar  friend,  is  truly  wonderful,  and  has 
not,  nor  ever  will  have,  any  parallel  in  tlie  univerfe. 
This  he  praclifed  in  a  manner  and  degree  truly  aftonifh- 
ing,  towards  his  friends  and  difciplcs,  when  he  vv^as  on 
earth.  He  condefcended  to  their  weaknefs,  and  adapt- 
ed himfelf  in  his  inftruccions  to  their  lov.',  childifti  Vv^ay 
of  conceiving  of  things,  and  meekly  bore  v/ith  their  ftu- 
K.  pidity 


66  CHRISTIAN    FRTENDSMI?.  SeRiM.    iV. 

pidity  and  unteachable  perverfcncfs.  He  dwelt  with 
them  nigb.t  anci  day,  and  admitted  tliem  to  embrace 
and  kifs  him  from  time  to  time.  We  may  look  on  this 
as  an  imag-e  and  fpecimcn  of  the  condcfcenfion  and  fa- 
miliarity v/4th  which  he  treats  his  people  at  all  times. 
Thouiih  he  is  now  exalted  in  the  hiojheft  heavens,  and 
]ias  taken  the  throne  of  the  univcrfc,  and  rules  over  all, 
angels  and  authorities  and  powers  being  made  fubjed: 
unto  him  ;  yet  this  has  not  lifted  him  up  in  any  degree, 
lb  as  to  difpofe  him  to  keep  at  a  greater  diftancc  from 
his  people ;  but  he  praclifes  as  much  condefcenfion  to- 
wards the  raeaneif  of  them,  and  receives  them  to  as 
great  a  nearneis  and  familiarity,  as  ever  he  did  in  his  flate 
of  humiliation.  His  condefcenfion  and  goodncfs  in  this 
refpecl  infinitely  exceeds  that  of  any  other  friend,  and 
is  equal  to  his  exaltation,  greatnefs  and  dignity.  In  this 
he  excels  all  other  friends,  as  much  as  he  does  in  honour 
and  dignity; 

No  other  friend  is  fo  eafy  of  accefs  as  he  :  his  friends 
are  Welcome  to  him  at  all  times  ;  yea,  he  is  always  pre- 
sent with  them,  fo  that  they  may  converfe  with  him 
whenever  they  pleafe,  in  the  moft  intimate,  familiar  man- 
ner, without  keeping  the  kaft  diftancc,  and  w^ithout  any 
referve.  He  is  all  attention  to  them  whenever  they  turn 
{heir  thoughts  with  their  hearts  towards  him,  and  no- 
■  thing  can  divert  him  from  converiing  with  them,  or  in- 
terrupt the  correfpondence,  but  their  withdrawing  them- 
felves,  or  turning  away  from  him.  He  is  ready  to  meet 
them  and  attend  upon  them  at  what  time  and  place  they 
pleafe  ;  yea^  he  calls  after  them,  and  invites  them  to 
look  tovvards  him,  and  fpeak  to  him.  He  fays  to  each 
one  of  his  friends,  "  Let  me  fee  thy  countenance,  let  me 
hear  thy  voice ;  for  fweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  counte- 
nance is  comely.'*  Behold,  he  itands  at  the  door  of  eve- 
ry one,  and  knocks,  and  whoever  opens  to  him,  he 
comes  in  and  fups  with  them,  and  they  with  him. 

And  here  it  is  worthy  of  fpccial  reip.ark,  that  their 
meannefs,  unworthincfs,  and  pail  ill  treatment  of  him, 
is  not  in  the  leaft  in  the  way  of  this  his  condeicending 

goodneii^ 


SeRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  tf 

goodnefs  and  Idndncfs.  Ke  has  no  difpofition  to  retali- 
ate for  their  folly  and  ingratitude,  and  keep  them  at  a 
diftance  for  this  :  he  is  as  condcfccnding  and  kind  to  the 
meaneft  and  moft  unwortJiy  and  guilty,  as  to  any  what- 
foever.  And  while  he  thus  condelcends,  and  is  good 
and  kind  to  them  in  the  moft  liberal  manner,  he  does 
not  upbraid  them  for  their  paft  follies,  or  becaufe  they, 
are  fo  much  beholden  to  him.  He  gives  moft  bountiful- 
ly, and  with  the  greateft  liberality,  and  upbraideth  not. 

And  he  is  not,  nor  ever  will  be,  afliamed  of  any  of 
his  people  who  have  united  themfelvcs  to  him  as  their 
chofen  friend,  however  mean  and  defpicable  in  thcm- 
felves ;  but  he  will  appea.r  as  their  friend,  at  all  times, 
and  in  the  moft  public  manner,  and  own  them  to  be  his 
friends,  and  confcfs  their  names  before  his  Father,  and 
before  his  angels.  Yea,  he  is  fo  far  from  being  afliamed 
of  them,  that  he  looks  on  them  as  an  honour  to  him. 
They  are  unto  him  "  a  crown  of  glory,  and  a  royal  di- 
adem," in  the  hand  of  this  their  condefcending  friend  : 
they  are  unto  him  "  for  a  name  and  for  a  praife  and  for 
a  glory,*'  as  the  bride  is  the  ornament  and  glory  of  her 
huiband.  Such  a  friend  as  this  has  every  true  Chriftian, 
in  which  he  is  infinitely  diftinguiified  from  all  other 
friends  ;  v/ho  is  moft  exactly  fuited  to  the  circumftan- 
ces  of  the  redeemed  from  among  men,  and  to  raife  their 

happinefs  in  friendfliip  with  him  to  the  higheft  key. ■ 

But  I  have  yet  m.any  other  things  to  fay  of  thi;^  moft  ex- 
cellent and  bleifed  Friend. 

7.  By  all  his  condefceniion,  love  and  kind'nefs  towards 
ftnners,  and  entering  into  the  neareft  and  deareft  friend- 
ihip  with  them,  he  does  not  degrade  himfclf  in  theleaft, 
nor  lofe  any  degree  of  his  true  dignity,  worth  and  excel- 
lence ;  but  has  greatly  honoured  himfelf  hereby. 

This  is  a  very  important  and  eflential  article  in  this 
friendfliip  ;  for  if  this  were  not  true,  it  would  be  a  very 
unhappy  union,  and  no  good  coulci  come  of  it,  either  to 
Chriif ,  or  thofe  on  whom  he  fets  his  love.  If  this  were 
a  diflionourable  friendfliip  on  Chrift's  part,  he  would  by 
this  lofe  his  merit  and  worthinefs  in  the  fight  of  the 

Father  ; 


63  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.   IV» 

Father  ;  fo  could  be  of  no  avail  to  recommend  the  fm- 
ner  on  whom  he  fets  his  love,  of  which  he  ftands  in  infi- 
nite need,  and  v/ithout  v/hich  he  cannot  be  happy  in  the 
favour  of  God  ;  which  will  be  more  particularly  conli- 
dered  under  the  next  head. 

The  Jews  attempted  to  reproach  our  Lord,  and  caft 
an  odium  upon  him,  by  faying  that  he  was  a  friend  of 
publicans  and  fmners.  If  he  had  been  fo  in  the  fenfe 
they  meant,  it  would  have  been  indeed  a  reproach  and 
difgrace  to  him.  If  he  had  been  their  friend  in  a  fenfe 
which  did  imply  the  leaft  degree  of  love  and  approba- 
tion of  their  characler  as  finners,  and  if  he  had  efpouf- 
ed  their  caufe  in  this  view,  and  under  the  leaft  influence 
of  this,  he  would  fo  far  degrade  himfelf,  and  render 
himfelf  and  his  love  worthlefs,  odious  and  defpicable  in 
the  fight  of  all  holy,  v/orthy  beings.  This  therefore  would 
have  wholly  fpoilt  his  character  as  the  Almighty  Friend 
and  Redeemer  pf  finners>  jBut  Jefus  Chriil  is  inhnite- 
ly  far  from  this.  Though  he  is  the  friend  of  fmners,  has 
efpoufed  their  caufe,  and  befriended  them  as  no  other 
perfon  ever  did  or  could  ;  yet  he  has  not  hereby  appear- 
ed in  the  leaft  deq-ree  a  friend  to  fm,  but  the  contra- 
ry  to  an  infinite  degree.  lie  has  befriended  finnerg 
confiftent  with  the  moft  perfect  and  even  infinite  hatred 
of  fin,  and  fo  of  their  character  as  finners,  and  fo  as  to 
inanifeft  his  hatred  and  abhorrence  of  them  to  the  high- 
eft  poflible  degree.  In  his  higheft  act  of  love  and  friend- 
fhip  to  finners,  he  did  in  the  higheft  poflible  degree, 
and  in  the  moft  public,  convincing,  ftriking  manner, 
juftify  the  Divine  Charafter  and  lavv  which  the  finner 
had  oppofed  and  contemned,  and  condemn  the  finner. 
The  higheft  angel  in  heaven  cannot  conceive  to  this  day, 
and  never  will  to  all  eternity,  how  Chrift  could  have 
condemned  fm  more  effectually,  and  fet  the  fmner  in  a 
worfe  and  more  odious  light,  and  ihewed  his  love  of  ho- 
linefs  and  hatred  of  fin  m.ore  fully,  than  he  did  when  he 
died  on  the  crofs.  In  this  he  did  in  the  higheft  poflible 
degree  juftify  God  in  threatening  and  curfmg  the  finner, 
and  being  difpofcd  to  punifh  him  forever,  while  he  vo- 
luntarily took  that  punifiiment  en  himfelf,  that  the  fin- 
ner micrht  efcane.  In 


Slili:.!'.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.'  6^ 

In  Chriil  then  are  united  the  greateft  friend  to  God 
and  his  hiw,  and  to  the  caufe  and  intercft  of  holinefs, 
that  ever  was  known  in  the  univerfe  ;  and  at  the  fame 
time  the  pTeatcft  friend  of  the  finner.  Thefc  two  feeni- 
ing  contraries  are  united  in  the  faitie  pcrfon  and  charac- 
ter, and  exprefied  in  the  moft  perfect  manner,  and  to 
the  higheft  degree,  in  the  fame  conduct.  Therefore, 
when  Chrift  ftooped  the  loweft,  and  condefcended  the 
moft  to  befriend  iinners,  he  did  in  the  higheit  degree  and 
moft  eiiectual  manner  efpoufe  the  caufe  of  God  in  cppo- 
fition  to  the  linner,  and  appeared  in  his  greateft  excel- 
lency, and  was  moft  worthy  and  meritorious,  in  God's 
light.  How  thefe  two  could  be  united  in  the  fame  per- 
fon  and  the  fame  ad,was  far  above  the  wifdom  of  angels  j 
and  herein,  in  a  foecial  manner,  is  Chrift  the  wifdom  of 
God. 

Weil  may  the  Chrlftian  boaft  and  fay,  "  This  is  my 
friend  ;"  who  is  alfo  the  greateft  friend  to  the  fupreme 
Lawgiver  of  the  univerfe,  and  has  fo  become  my  friend, 
and  ftooped  to  efpoufe  my  caufe,  and  take  me  into  the 
neareft  and  deareft  relation  to  himfelf,  as  at  the  fame 
time  to  maintain  and  exprefs  his  dignity,  worthlnefs  and 
excellency,  and  merit  infinitely  in  the  ftght  of  the  Fa- 
ther.-  This  leads  to  another  particular. 

8.  Chrift  improves  all  his  worth  and  excellence  in  the 
behalf  and  for  the  benefit  of  his  people.  It  is  all  theirsj, 
and  improved  to  their  advantage,  in  the  beft  manner, 
and  to  the  higheft  degree  ;  fo  that  it  is  in  eftccl  aJl 
given  away  to  them,  being  moft  eS'eclually,  and  to  tlie 
bcft  purpofe,  placed  to  their  account. 

Sinners  want  fucli  a  friend  ;  and  no  other  perfon 
could  befriend  them  to  any  purpofe,  to  himfelf  or  to 
them,  but  one  who  is  infinitely  excellent  and  w^orthy. 
They  being  infinitely  hateful,  guilty  and  ill-deferving  in 
themfelves,  and  having  nothing  by  which  they  can  abate 
their  iil-defert,  and  render  themfelves  a  whit  the  more  de- 
ferving  and  acceptable,  on  its  own  account,  they  muft  be 
eternally  hated  and  curfed,  unlefs  they  have  fom^ething 
to  recommend  them  which  is  not  in  themfelves,  but  in 

fjnie 


yo  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    IV. 

foine  other  :  and  this  muft  be  fomething  infmitCiV  vahu 
able  and  excellent,  or  it  cm  in  no  meafure  or  degree 
countervail  their  odioufneis  and  ill-defert  lb  as  in  the 
leaft  to  recommend  them  to  their  offended  Lawgiver 
and  Sovereign.  And  it  will  not  become  him  to  forgive 
them  and  ihow  them  any  favour,  unlels  they  have  fome- 
thins:  to  recommend  them,  and  reuair  the  diflionour 
they  have  done  him  by  violating  his  law,  and  delpinng 
his  character  and  government.  Therefore,  uniefs  fome 
one  did  efpoufe  their  caule  and  undertake  for  them, 
who  has  worthinefs  and  merit  enough  to  reftore  the  ho- 
nour of  God's  broken  law,  and  elt'ecfualiy  recommend 
Imncrs  to  their  ofiended  Sovereign  by  interpoiing  his 
own  worthinefs  in  their  behalf,  they  muft  be  the  objects 
of  his  difpleafure  and  wrath  forever,  as  what  is  moll  fit 
and  right. 

Now  Chrift  is  the  only  perfon  in  the  univerfe  who 
was  able  efFecluaiiy  to  efpoufe  their  caufe  in  this  refpeft, 
and  ad  the  part  of  a  friend  to  them.  He  has  worthinefs 
and  merit  enough  in  the  eyes  of  the  ofteaded  Deity,  ef- 
fectually to  procure  pardon  and  favour  for  the  finner, 
if  properly  interpofed  in  his  behalf,  fo  that  it  might  be 
fit  to  reckon  it  to  his  account.  And  this  Chrift  has 
done  in  the  moit  lit  and  proper  manner.  He  has  put: 
himfelf  in  the  fmner's  ilcad,  has  borne  the  curfe  he  lay 
under,  and  paid  the  greatell  honours  to  the  divine  law 
and  charafter  ;  which  is  fo  pleafmg  and  acceptable  to  the 
Majelly  of  Heaven,  that  he  is  ready  to  pardon  and.  blefx 
any  one  who  is  a  friend  to  Chrift,  and  trufts  in  his  merit 
and  worthinefs  ti/one  to  recomn'send  him. 

Chrift  repeatedly  fpoke  of  this  to  his  difciples  in  the 
moft  exprefs  manner,  and  told  them  that  their  love  and 
union  of  heart  to  him  did  effccfually  recommend  them 
to  the  Father,  and  intereft  them  in  his  love  and  favour, 
to  as  great  a  degree  as  they  needed,  or  could  defire. 
His  words  are,  "  He  that  hath  my  commandments,  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me  :  and  be  that  lo-vcfh 
me  Jhall  be  loved  of  tny  Father.  If  any  man  love  me,  he 
will  keep  my  words  ;  and  my  Father  will  love  him, 

Fo? 


SeRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  7I 

t'or  the  Father  himfelf  loveth  you,  becaufe  ye  have  lov- 
ed me,  and  have  believed  that  I  came  out  from  God.'* 

We  cannot  reaibnably  fuppore  tl"iat  Chrift  means  to 
declare  in  thcfe  words  that  their  love  and  friendlliip  to 
him  did,  on  its  own  account,  or  becaufe  of  the  excellen- 
cy and  worth  of  it  in  itlelf  coniidered,  recommend  them 
to  the  Father,  and  procure  his  love  and  favour  to  them^ 
as  a  teltimony  of  his  well-pleafednefs  with  their  perfons 
and  love,  coniidered  as  by  themfelves,  and  feparate  from 
Chrift.  We  cannot  underuand  our  Saviour  thus  in 
thefe  words  ;  for  this  would  fet  them  in  direcl  contra- 
diction to  the  whole  New  Teilament,  which  teaches  us 
that  iinncrs  are  pardoned,  and  received  to  the  favour 
and  love  of  the  Father,  purely  out  of  refpect  to  Chriil, 
to  his  rigliteoufnefs  and  worthinefs,  which  alone  recom- 
mends them  to  him  ;  and  not  any  exerciies  and  vv'orks 
of  their  own.  But  his  meaning  muft  be,  that  the  Fa- 
ther is  fo  well  pleafed  with  him,  and  loves  him  fo  well, 
confidered  in  the  capacity  of  mediator  and  a  friend  of 
fmners,  and  his  merit  and  worthinefs  in  this  charafter 
is  fo  great  in  his  light,  that  he  is  ready  to  be  well  pleaf- 
ed with  and  love  any  fmner  who  unites  himfelf  to  him 
in  true  love  and  friendlhip,  and  trufts  in  him  in  this  re- 
lation and  character.  Such  love  and  union  to  this  friend 
is  a  fufficient  ground  and  reafon  of  the  Father's  loving 
him  ;  and  fo  the  Father  loves  him,  becaufe  he  loves  and 
is  united  to  his  Son,  who  is  infinitely  honourable  and 
worthy  in  his  hght,  and  is  infinitely  near  and  dear  to 
him:  and  v.dio  has  done  and  fufl'ered  fo  much  in  the- 
behalf  of  the  finner,  that  his  merit  and  worth  might 
be  improved  for  his  bcneiit,  in  which  he  has  honour- 
ed the  Father,  and  in  the  moft  excellent  way  and  man- 
ner pofiible,  and  to  the  greatelt  advantage,  employed 
ail  the  intereft  he  has  v/ith  the  Father,  to  procure  his 
love  and  favour  to  the  fmner  Vvdio  is  thus  united  to 
him.  The  Father  loves  his  Sv^n  fo  well,  he  is  a  perfon  of 
fuch  infinite  ciignity  and  worthinefs,  and  has  exercifed 
fuch  an  high  degree  of  virtue,  and  has  honoured  him 
fo  much,  in  what  he  has  done  and  fuiiercd  for  fmners, 

improving* 


f*  CHRISTIAN    FRirXDSIIir.  SzRM.    tV." 

improving  all  his  merit  v/ith  the  Father  in  their  behalf; 
that  nothing  is  wanting  but  the  fmncr's  lovin.f^  him 
•and  truiling  in  him  in  this  character,  fo  uniting  himfeif 
ito  him  as  his  true  friend,  in  order  to  the  i'athcr's 
.loving  him.  The  Father  has  fuch  love  to  his  Son,  and 
the  Son  ftands  in  fuch  a  .relation  to  fmncrs,  tliat  the  fm- 
ner  who  loves  the  Son  is  necelTarily  beloved  by  the  Fa- 
ther, purely  from  the  love  he  has  to  his  Son,  however 
odious,  viie  and  unworthy  he  is  in  himlclf.  And  thus 
the  Father  loves  them,  bccaufe  they  love  his  Son ;  and 
.can  do  no  otherwife,  unlefs  he  ceafcs  to  love  his  Son  ; 
ior  the  love  he  has  to  his  Son  w'ill  neceilkrily  operate  fo, 
and  induce  him  to  love  thole  who  love  his  Son,  and  to 
whom  the  Son  is  a  friend,  and  acts  as  their  friend  be- 
fore the  Father,  prefenting  his  merit,  and  all  he  has  done 
and  lufered  for  his  honour,  defiring  that  this  may  be 
reckoned  to  them,  and  that  they  might  have  pardon  and 
favour  on  his  account.  For  the  Father  to  withhold  his 
love  and  favour  from  fuch  is  really  to  v/ithhold  his  love 
and  favour  from  his  Son  ;  and  therefore  if  he  love  the 
latter,  he  will  love  the  former  j  and  there  is  no  other 
pofhble  fuppoiition  in  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things. 

And  this  view  of  the  matter  (by  the  way)  may  lead 
all  the  attentive  to  fee  what  is  the  true  meaning  and  im- 
port of  the  do6lrine  of  the  imputation  of  the  merit  and 
righteoufnefs  of  Chrift,  for  the  pardon  and  juftification 
of  the  flnner,  who  believes  in  and  cleaves  to  him  in  the 
character  of  a  mediator  ;  and  liow  reafonable  it  is,  and 
-exactly  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  things. 

If  we  have  a  friend  who  loves  us,  and  there  is  a  mu- 
tual friendfhip  between  us  and  him,  who  we  know  has 
great  favour  ,aud  merit  with  one  whom  we  liave  oU'end- 
ed,  and  whofe  love  and  favour  we  want,  and  who  is  very 
dear  to  him,  and  greatly  beloved  by  him  ;  we  are  natu- 
rally, and  with  the  greate/l  reafon,  ready  to  truft  in  fuch 
a.  friend  to  procure  for  us  the  favour  we  want.  And  if 
the  dignity  and  worthinefs  of  our  friend  is  fufficient, 
and  his  merit  with  the  perfon  we  have  oiiendec\  is  fo 
great  as  to  countervail  our  oiTonce,  and  worthy  of  fo 

great 


SeRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  73 

great  a  favour  as  wc  want,  and  we  know  he  is  engag- 
ed to  make  the  beft  ufe  of  his  merit  and  worthinefs  in 
the  eyes  of  that  perfon  to  procure  of  him  this  favour, 
having  exerted  himfclf  in  all  pollible  ways  in  our  be- 
half, and  fo  as  greatly  to  pleafe  and  honour  him  ;  if 
we  have  fuch  a  friend,  wc  may  be  fure  of  obtaining  the 
favour  we  want,  however  unworthy  we  are,  and  how 
much  foever  we  have  offended  this  perfon,  and  though 
he  has  no  difpofition  to  fhew  us  the  Icaft  favour  on  our 
own  account ;  but,  confidered  as  we  are  in  ourfelves, 
and  unconnected  with  our  friend,  is  difpofed  to  hate, 
condemn  and  deftroy  us  :  and  in  proportion  to  our  love 
to  our  friend,  and  fenfe  of  his  dignity  and  worthinefs,' 
and  of  the  high  virtue  and  excellence  of  what  he  had 
done  in  our  behalf,  ihall  we  have  confidence  of  obtain- 
ing the  favour  we  want,  and  v/ith  boldnefs  approach  the 
offended  perfon  in  his  name. 

If  a  fubje<5l  has  incurred  the  juft  difpleafure  of  his 
prince,  and  greatly  wants  his  pardon  and  favour ;  how 
happy  does  he  count  himfelf,  if  he  has  fome  great  per- 
fonage  his  friend,  who  is  near  the  prince,  and  has  great 
honour  and  favour  with  him  !  efpecially  if  he  knov/s  this 
great  and  honourable  perfonage  is  ready  to  improve  all 
the  intereft  and  influence  he  has  with  the  prince,  in  his 
behalf,  and  for  this  end  has  been  at  vail  pains  and  ex- 
penlc  to  make  good  the  damage  the  prince  had  luftain- 
ed  by  his  crime,  and  render  it  honourable  for  him  to 
grant  the  pardon,  and  beftow  the  favour  he  wants.  In 
fuch  a  cafe  we  all  know  the  criminal  cannot  fail  of  ob- 
taining the  pardon  and  favour  he  needs,  if  his  friend  at 
court  has  dignity,  merit  and  worthinefs  enough,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  prince,  to  be  worthy  of  fuch  a  favour.  The 
prince's  love  to  this  perfonage  v»^ill  naturally,  and  necef- 
I'arily,  flow  out  to  the  perfon  whofe  friend  he  is,  and 
who  loves  him.  And  in  this  cafe  we  fee  the  merit  and 
worthinefs  of  this  great  and  excellent  perfonage  is  im- 
puted, or  transferred  to  the  account  of  the  unworthy 
criminal,  to  recommend  him  to  that  favour,  and  pro- 
cure it  for  him,  of  which  he  is  moll  unworthy  in  him- 

L  '         felf. 


74  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    IV. 

felf,  and  which  it  would  have  been  utterly  unfit  and 
indecent  for  the  prince  to  bellow  upon  him,  had  it  not 
been  for  this  his  conneclion  with  this  worthy  peribn. 

This  is  in  fome  degree  a  parallel  to  the  cafe  before  us. 
jefus  Chriftj  the  Chrillian's  friend,  appears  with  fuch 
dignity  and  honour  in  the  court  of  heaven,  and  has 
done  fuch  aftonifliingly  great  and  wonderful  exploits  to 
fecure  the  honour  of  the  iUmighty  Sovereign  and  Law- 
giver of  Heaveii  and  Earth,  and  render  it  confiftent  with 
his  granting  pardon  and  favour  to  finners  ;  and  has  fo 
pleafed  and  honoured  the  Father,  and  is  fo  dear  and  ex- 
cellent in  his  eyes,  that  he  is  ready  to  love  and  fhew  fa- 
vour to  any  fmner  who  loves  this  v/orthy  perfonage, 
and  is  a  real  and  hearty  friend  to  him  ;  whofe  intereft 
he  efpoufes  before  the  Father,  and  interpofes  all  his  me- 
rit in  his  behalf.  This  is  quite  fufficient  to  recommend 
the  moft  guilty,  ill-deferving  wretch  on  earth  to  all  the 
favour  that  Heaven  can  bellow.  He  has  no  need  to 
plead  any  thing  but  his  relation  and  union  to  the  Son  of 
God,  as  his  true  and  hearty  friend  ;  he  wants  nothing 
elfe  to  recommend  him  to  the  higheft  honours  and  hap- 
pinefs  in  God's  kingdom  forever.  The  Father  of  the 
Univerfe  will  love  him  with  a  dear  and  everlafting  love, 
and  embrace  him  as  his  dear  cliild,  the  friend  of  his 
well-beloved,  his  deareft  Son.  And  all  tlie  angels  w'ili 
love,  ferve  and  honour  him  forever,  bccaufe  he  bears 
the  character,  and  ftands  in  the  relation,  of  a  friend  to 
the  Son  of  God^  and  is  one  whofe  intereft  he  has  efpouf- 
ed,  and  whofe  name  he  will  confefs  before  the  Father 
and  before  tlie  angels. 

Thus  the  Chriiiian  has  a  friend  who  is  not  only  moft 
worthy  and  excellent  in  his  eyes,  with  whom  his  heart 
is  plcaied  and  charmed  ;  but  this  excellence  and  w^orthi- 
nefs  is  reckoned  to  his  account,  and  is  become  his  righte- 
oufnefs,  by  which  he  is  recommended  to  pardon  and  fa- 
vour with  God  ;  fothat  the  Supreme  Majefty  and  Law- 
giver of  Heaven  and  Earth  hereby  becomes  his  eternal 
friend  and  father.  Therefore  the  higher  fenfe  the 
Chriftian  has  of  Chrift's  excellency  and  worthi-nefs,  and 

the 


SeRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  75 

the  more  he  loves  him,  the  more  confidence,  affu- 
rance  and  joy  will  he  naturally  have  in  his  merit  and 
righteoufncfs,  and  fay,  "  la  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  have 
I  riixhteoufnefs :  In  him  iliall  I,  with  all  the  iced  of  If- 
rael,  be  juftified,  and  in  him  only  will  I  glory.'* 

9.  Chrift  is  not  only  a  friend  who  is  full  of  good 
will  and  benevolence  to  his  people,  but  he  highly  ef- 
teems  them,  and  has  great  and  moft  fweet  complacen- 
cy and  delight  in  them. 

This  is  abundantly  reprefented  in  this  fong.  Chrift 
often  calls  his  fpoufe,  the  church,  \i\sfair  one:  and  fhe  is 
to  him  the  faireft  among  women.  His  language  to  his 
church,  and  to  every  true  member  of  it,  is,  "  O  my 
dove,  let  me  fee  thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy 
voice  ;  for  fweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is 
comxcly."  "  Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love  ;  behold, 
thou  art  fair :  thou  haft  doves'  eyes  within  thy  locks. 
Thou  art  all  fair,  my  love,  there  is  no  fpot  in  thee. 
Thou  haft  raviftied  my  heart,  my  lifter,  my  fpoufe  ; 
thou  haft  raviftied  my  heart  with  one  of  thine  eyes, 
with  one  chain  of  thy  neck.  How  much  better  is  thy 
love  than  wine  1  and  the  frncll  of  thine  ointments  than 
all  fpices  !  How  fair  and  how  pleafant  art  thou,  O 
love,  for  delights  !  Since  thou  waft  precious  in  my 
nght,  thou  haft  been  honourable,  and  I  have  loved 
thee." 

There  is  fomething  myfterious  and  wonderful  in 
this  ;  that  Chrift  ftiould  thus  tcfteem  and  delisfht  in 
thofe  w^ho  are  in  themfelves,  and  in  their  natural  ftate, 
fo  mean,  defpicable,  vile  and  odious.  But  this  comes 
to  pafs  by  his  putting  his  own  beauty  and  excellence 
upon  them,  forming  them  after  his  own  likenefs,  and 
receiving  them  into  the  neareft  relation  to  himfelf,  by 
which  they  become  clothed  v/ith  his  righteoufncfs  and 
worthinefs,  and  partake  of  his  honour  and  fulnefs  :  fo 
that  in  this  near  relation,  and  beautified  and  adorned 
with  his  own  beauty  and  holinefs,  they  are  honourable 
in  his  eyes,  and  he  takes  great  complacency  and  delighr 
in  them.     And  as  he  is  coniinually  purifying  and  adorn- 


ing 


yS  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.   IV. 

ing  them  more  and  more,  and  will  go  on  to  do  it  until 
not  the  leaft  deformity,  not  fo  much  as  fpot  or  wrinkle, 
remains,  and  they  are  become  moft  perfect  beauties,  fo 
his  complacency  and  delight  in  them  is  increahng,  and 
is  71010  greater,  in  the  view  of  what  they  Ihall  foon  be 
brought  to,  even  the  moft  confummate  beauty  and  glo- 
ry, like  a  king's  daughter,  a/I  glorious  within,  and  her 
clothing  of  wrought  gold  :  and  they  fliall  ihine  forth  as 
the  fun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father,  the  moft  beau- 
tiful, glorious  bride  of  the  Lamb. 

Now  this  adds  an  unfpeakable  value  and  fweetnefs  to 
this  friendlhip.  In  proportion  as  any  one  efteems, 
loves  and  delights  in  another,  he  naturally,  and  even 
neceffariiy,  defires  to  be  the  object  of  his  efteem  and 
complacency ;  and  confequently  this  gives  him  a  fweet 
enjoyment  and  happinefs,  fo  far  as  he  has  evidence  that 
it  takes  place,  and  in  a  degree  equal  to  his  view  and 
fenfe  of  the  worthinefs  and  excellency  of  his  friend. 
How  great  then  muft  be  the  happinefs  of  the  believer 
in  his  friendlhip  with  Chrift,  from  this  circumftance  1 
He  has  the  higheft  and  growing  efteem  of  his  perion 
and  character,  and  is  more  and  more  ravifiied  with  his 
fuperlative  beauty  and  excellence  ;  and  nothing  can  be 
more  defirable  and  fweet  to  him  than  to  have  the  ap- 
probation and  love  of  this  glorious,  excellent  perfonage : 
and  nothing  is  wanting  to  complete  his  happinefs,  but 
to  know  that  he  is  the  object  of  the  complacency  and 
Iwcet  delight  of  his  beft  beloved  and  moft.  efteemed 
friend.  The  thought  of  this  is  moft  tranfporting  to 
his  foul ;  and  the  more  he  is  perfuaded  and  aflured  of 
this  in  this  world,  the  more  ineffable  fweetnefs  does  he 
tafte  and  enjoy  in  this  friendfliip.  What  then  will  be 
the  happinels  of  this  exalted  friendftiip,  when  the  be- 
loved faint  fliall  be  made  to  ftiine  forth  as  the  fun  in 
the  moft  perfect  beauty,  and  fliall  behold  the  dignity, 
beauty  and  excellence  of  his  glorious  Friend  and  Re- 
deemer in  the  meridian  brightnefs  and  fplendour  of 
his  glory,  and  his  heart  fhall  glow  Vvdth  the  higheft  and 
moft  perfect  love  of  efteem  and  complacency  towards 

him. 


SeRM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSTIIP.  77 

him,  while  this  his  infinitely  glorious  and  excellent  Friend 
returns  love  for  love  in  the  molt  full  and  ample  man- 
ner, and  embraces  him  as  his  deareft  and  beft  beloved, 
giving  him  the  greateft  poilible  afl'urance  that  he  takes 
unfpeakable  delight  and  fatisfaclion  in  him,  and  will 
do  lo  to  all  eternity  !  This  will  raife  the  redeemed  to 
heights  of  happineis,  and  fwect,  extatic  delight,  beyond 
all  conception,  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  exalted,  moft 
dear  and  beft  beloved  friend,  v/hile  they  find  them- 
lelves  embraced  by  him  in  the  high  exercifcs  of  fv/eet 
love  and  complacence,  being  perfeclbr  plcafed  and  ra- 
vifhed  with  their  love,  and,  in  the  higheft  and  moft  ex- 
alted fenfe,  "  his  left  hand  is  under  their  head,  and  his 
ri^ht  hand  doth  embrace  them."  How  will  their  hearts 
fwell  with  the  thought,  and  be  filled  full,  and  even  run 
over,  with  ineffable  delight  and  joy,  v/hile  they  think, 
and  with  the  greateft  aflurance  fay,  "  This  is  my  belov- 
ed, and  this  is  my  friend  !" 

And  it  is  worthy  of  obfervation  here,  that  their  de- 
pendence on  Chrift  for  all  their  worthinefs,  beauty  and 
excellence,  as  they  receive  it  all  from  him,  by  which 
they  become  the  objects  of  his  efteem  and  complacency, 
they  being  wholly  without  any  thing  of  this  kind,  and 
infinitely  to  the  contrary  of  it  as  he  finds  them  ;  this 
their  dependence  on  him  will  greatly  add  to  the  fweet- 
nefs  and  enjoyment,  while  they  find  themfelves  thus  ef- 
teemed  and  beloved  by  him  ;  for  it  is  unfpeakably  more 
defirable  and  fweet  to  become  the  objcds  of  his  love 
and  complacency  in  this  way,  than  in  any  other. 

The  fpoufe  who  venerates,  efteems  and  loves  her  huf- 
band  far  above  all  others,  is  happy  in  his  embraces,  and 
the  tokens  of  his  efteem,  complacency  and  delight  in 
her,  in  proportion  to  her  fenfe  of  his  dignity,  worthi- 
nefs  and  excellence.  And  if  ilie  has  received  all  that 
which  recommends  her  to  him  as  the  objeft  of  his  pe- 
culiar efteem  and  delight,  from  him,  or  fome  way  by 
his  means,  this  will  greatly  add  to  the  fvveetnefs  of  her 
enjoyment,  in  a  fenfe  of  his  great  condefcenfion  and 
goodnefs,  and  her  peculiar  obligations  to  him.     This  is 

a 


7&  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.    IV. 

a  faint  emblem  of  the  cafe  before  us  ;  for  thcfc  things 
take  place  in  the  friendlhip  we  are  confidering,  to  an 
immenfely  greater  degree,  and  in  a  far  more  exalted 
manner,  than  can  be  in  any  thing  temporal  and  earthly. 

And,  by  the  M^ay,  it  may  be  here  obfervcd,  that  the 
redeemed  will  have  g-reatly  the  advantage  of  an  eels  in 
their    friendfhip    with    Chrift    in   this    particular.      As 
Chrift  has  been  a  greater  friend  to  the  redeemed  than 
to  angels ;  has  exercifed  immenfely  more  benevolence 
and  kmdnefs,  and  done  infinitely  more  for  them,  and 
fo  laid  them  under  infinitely  greater  obligations  to  ef- 
teem,  love  and  honour  him  ;  fo  he  exerciles  a  greater 
love  of  eileem,  complacency  and  delight  towards  them, 
than  the  angels  are  the  objccl:s  of:  and  that  becaufe,  he 
puts  a  peculiar  and  diftinguifhing  beauty  and  dignity 
on  them,  of  which  the  angels  do  not  partake.     As  the 
King's  bride,  the  queen,  however  mean  her  ftate  was 
before  flie   married  him,   is  more  honourable,   and  is 
nmch  more  the  object  of  his  efteem  and  complacency^ 
and  he  takes  much  more  delight   and    fatisfaclion  in 
her,   than  in  any  of  the  moft   dignified   fervants  and 
greateil  nobles  of  his  court,  hovv-ever  great  and  honour- 
able they  are  in  themfelves,  and  flie  enjoys  a  peculiar 
fweetnefs  in  his  love,  and  a  much  higher  pleafure  and 
Iiappinefs  than  any  of  them  can  do  ;  fo  the  bride,  the 
Lamb's  wife,  is  more  happy  in  the  embraces  and  pecu- 
liar love  of  her  glorious  I'Viend  and  Huiband,  the  King 
of  the  Univerfe,  and  taftes  more  fweetnefs  in  a  fenfe  of 
Lis  diftinguiilied  affection  to  her,  than  the  angels,  thofe 
noble  fervants  of  the  King  of  Heaven,  ever  will  or  can 
do.     Chrift  will  eternally  exercife  and  manifeft  a  pecu- 
liar  complacency  and  delight  in  them  as  their  diftin- 
ffuifhed  friend  and    redeemer :    and   this   will    be    the 
fource  of  a  peculiar  enjoyment  and  happinefs,  m  which 
they  will  be  diftinguiilied  from  all  other  creatures,  in 
the   love  and  embraces  of  fuch  a  friend  as  no  others 
ever  had,  or  ever  will  have. 

10.  Chrift  is  as  much  the  friend  of  every  individual, 
and  the   friendfhip  between  him    and   each  one  is  as 


SerM.    IV.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  79 

great,  fwect  and  happy,  and  every  way  to  as  great  ad- 
vantage, as  if  he  was  the  friend  of  no  other  perfon  j 
yea,  much  more  fo. 

Herein  this  friendfhip  differs  from,  and  has  the  ad- 
vantage of,  all  others.  If  the  love  and  afFedion  of 
other  friends  is  divided  among  a  great  number,  and  they 
have  one  common  friend  in  whofe  friendfliip  they  fhare, 
each  one  lias  a  lefs  fliare  than  if  he  was  the  only  belov- 
ed :  and  if  we  have  one  friend  whom  we  eileem  and 
love  much  above  all  others,  it  feems  mofl  agreeable  at 
lead  to  have  a  peculiar  and  diftinguiflied  Ihare  in  his  af- 
fc<fi:ion,  and  to  have  him  a  friend  to  us  in  a  fenfe  and 
degree  in  v^hich  he  is  not  to  any  other  ;  fo  that  a  part- 
ner or  rival  in  his  afFe6lions  and  friendihip  is  rather  un- 
deiirable  than  pleafing,  and  tends  to  give  an  alloy  to  the 
friendihip,  rather  than  a  fweetnefs.  This  is  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner  fo  in  love  and  friendfliip  between  the  fexes. 
The  bride  or  fpoufe  is  jealous  of  any  rival  in  the  afiec- 
tion  of  her  hufband  ;  ilie  is  contented  with  nothing 
fliort  of  having  the  whole  of  his  love  and  affection  cen- , 
tring  in  her  :  ilie  naturally  monopolizes  it  to  herfelf  ex- 
clufively,  and  cannot  bear  to  have  any  one  fhare  with 
her  in  this  friendxliip  ;  and  if  this  fliould  be  the  cafe,  it 
will  fpoil  the  friendffiip  for  her,  and  the  more  fhe  loves 
him,  the  more  unhappy  and  miferable  fhe  is. 

And  this,  by  the  way,  is  a  very  flrong  and  flriking  evi- 
dence, among  m.any  others,  that  this  fong,  in  which  the 
text  is  found,  is  not  a  common  love-fong  ;  as  in  this  re- 
fpect  it  is  formed  on  a  plan  contrary  to  the  nature  of  com- 
mon love  and  friendfliip  between  the  fexes,  or  the  bride 
and  her  lover,  and  which  is  only  fuited  to  the  cafe  before 
us.  The  beloved  fpoufe  is  in  this  fong  reprefentcd  not 
as  a  fmgle  perfon,  but  as  a  company  or  fociety  of  per- 
fons  united  in  feeking  and  fetting  their  affections  on  one 
perfon  as  their  conmion  friend  and  lover.  The  fpoufe 
feeks  company  in  her  love  to  the  bridegroom,  and  en- 
deavours to  draw  other  women  to  join  with  her  in  lov- 
ing him,  and  fpeaks  of  others  being  united  with  her, 
in  this,  with  approbation  and  pleafure :    "  Therefore  tiie 

VIRGINS 


8o  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  SeRM.  IV, 

VIRGINS  love  thee  : — Draw  me,  we  will  run  after  thee : 
— We  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  thee,  we  will  remem- 
ber thy  love  more  tlian  wine  ;  the  upright  love  thee.'* 
''  Wliidier  is  thy  beloved  gone,  O  thou  faireft  among  wo- 
men ?  whither  is  thy  beloved  gone  alide  ?  that  we  may 
fcek  him  with  thee.  My  beloved  is  gone  down  into  his 
garden,  &c. — Thou  that  dwellelh  in  the  gardens,  the 
compamQ}is  hearken  to  thy  voice."  This  is  a  very  unnatu- 
ral reprcfentation  for  a  woman  to  make  with  relation  to 
her  beloved  friend,  with  whom  fiie  is  feeking  a  union  and 
friendihip,  in  which  a  companion  or  rival  would  be  moft 
difagreeabJc.  But  it  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  cafe  be- 
fore us  ;  for  the  Ipoufe  of  Chriil  is  not  a  fmglc  perfon, 
but  a  company  or  fociety  united  together  in  the  fame 
iove  and  affection,  to  one  common  friend,  lover  and 
hufband  :  and  every  individual  believer,  or  friend  of 
Chriif ,  is  fo  far  from  monopolizing  his  love,  and  defiring 
to  be  the  only  object  of  it,  that  it  is  a  great  addition  to 
the  fweetnefs  and  happinefs  of  this  friendihip,  that 
others  join  with  him  in  the  fame  love,  and  equally 
Ihare  in  the  love  and  friendihip  of  this  glorious  friend 
and  bridegroom.  Each  one  enjoys  as  much  of  Chrift's 
love,  has  as  full  and  large  a  ihare  in  his  heart,  and  en- 
joys him  every  v.-ay  as  much,  as  if  he  had  no  other  lov- 
er and  friend  in  the  univerfe  :  fo  that,  however  great 
the  number  is  on  whom  Chrift  fets  his  heart,  this  does 
not  in  any  degree  leffen  the  privilege  and  enjoyment  of 
any  individual ;  for  he,  their  common  friend,  has  an 
inexhauftible,  infinite  fulnefs,  and  is  juft  as  much,  and 
all  that,  to  each  fmgle  one,  as  if  he  was  the  only  object 
of  his  love.  Therefore  the  more  love  and  benevolence 
the  believer  has  to  Chrift,  and  the  higher  the  friend- 
fhip  rifes,  the  more  pleafed  will  he  be  to  have  him  ef- 
teemed  and  beloved  by  others  ;  and  the  more  happi- 
nefs and  joy  will  he  have  that  others  Ihare  with  him  in 
the  bleffings  of  this  friendfliip,  in  proportion  to  his  be- 
nevolence to  them,  and  delight  in  their  welfare  ;  which 
will  always  keep  pace  with  his  love  to  Chriil  and  de- 
light in  him  as  the  bell  and  mcH  glorious  friend  :  fo 

that 


SeRM.    V.  CHRISTIAN    FRIENDSHIP.  St 

that  every  true  friend  of  Chrift  is  effectually  formed 
and  prepared  to  enjoy  a  peculiar  pleafure  and  happinefs 
in  a  happy  and  beautiful  fociety,  who  are  equally  devo- 
ted to  this  fame  friendfliip,  and  fhare  equally  with  him 
in  the  fweet  love  and  affection  of  his  deareft  and  moil 
exalted  friend. -This  leads  to  another  particular. 


Sermon  v. 


The  friendfhip  of  Chriftians  between  each  other. 

Cant.  V.  1 5.     This  is  my  belo'ved^  and  this  is  my  friend, 

II.  »T~^IIIS  friendfhip  between    Chrift   and  the  true 
I    Chriflian  lays  the  beft  foundation  for  union  of 
heart,  and  fweet,  exalted  friendfhip  with  ethers. 

Chrifl  is  the  grand  medium  of  all  union  and  friend- 
Ihip  in  the  univerfe.  In  this  refpeft  all  things,  both 
which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth,  are  gather- 
ed together  in  One,  in  Chrift.  Chrift  has  reconciled 
the  angels  to  men,  and  made  them,  who  otherwife  mull 
have  been  their  eternal  enemies,  great  friends  to  them, 
and  willing  to  devote  themfclves  to  the  moft  friendly 
offices  and  afts  towards  tlie  heirs  of  falvation,  and  fpend 
their  whole  time,  and  exert  all  their  powers,  in  ads  of 
kindnefs,  in  the  moft  benevolent,  friendly  nrianner  minii*- 
tering  to  them.  And  angels  and  the  redeemed  from 
am.ong  men  fhall  finally  be  brought  by  Chrift  to  dwell 
together  forever,  united  in  the  moft  friendly,  loving 
fociety.  And  he  has  not  only  reconciled  God  to  men, 
and  laid  a  foundation  for  their  reconciliation  and  union 
with  him  ;  but  has  opened  a  way,  and  made  full  pro- 
\ifion,  for  reconciling  men  one  to  another,  and  uniting 
them  in  the  moft  dear  and  happy  union  and  friendfliip, 
which  in  many  refpecls  furpafl'es  all  that  there  v/as  any 
M  foundatioa 


^2  FRIJ-NDSHIP    OF    CHRISTIANS  SeRM.    V» 

foundation  for  in  man*s  primitive  ftate  of  innocency. 
Sin  has  broken  all  bonds  of  true  union  and  friendftiip 
among  men  j  has  fet  them  at  variance  one  with  another, 
and  introduced  a  rnoft  unhappy  and  horrible  iar  and 
difcord  ;  fo  that  tlie  true  character  of  man  in  his  natu- 
ral ftate  is,  "  Living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and 
hating  one  another.'*  Thus  all  true  friendihip  has  fled 
from  the  earth  upon  the  apoftacy  of  man,  and  that 
^hich  is  moft  diredly  contrary  to  this  took  place  to  a 
moft  awful  degree.  And  man  muft  have  remained  in 
this  ftate  of  hatred  and  enmity  one  with  another  for- 
ever, had  not  Jefus  Chrift  undertaken  in  his  behalf.  He 
has  taken  a  moft  wife  and  effectual  method  to  bring 
them  to  a  union,  love  and  friendihip  one  with  another, 
at  the  fame  time  that  they  are  united  to  him,  and  be- 
come his  friends  ;  a  union  and  friendftiip  which  is  un- 
fpeakably  dear  and  fweet,  and  immenfely  furpafies  all 
other  friendftiips,  except  that  which  is  between  Chrift 
and  them.  This  friendftiip  has  its  foundation  in  love 
to  Chrift,  and  union  of  heart  to  him,  and  is  not  really 
any  thing  diitincl  and  feparate  from  this.  -The  believ- 
er's love  to  Chrift,  and  love  and  friendftiip  to  his  fellow 
faints,  or  all  that  are  united  to  Chrift  in  the  fame  love 
and  friendftiip,  is  really  one  and  the  fame  undivided 
flame  of  love  and  affection  j  fo  that  the  fame  bond  of 
love  which  Unites  their  hearts  to  Chrift,  does  alfo  at  the 
fame  time  unite  them  to  each  other  t  and  the  higher 
their  love  and  friendftiip  to  Ch.rift  rifes,  and  the  ftrong- 
er  the  exefcifes  of  it  are,  the  more  fweet  and  perfect  is 
their  love  and  friendftiip  one  to  another.  And  this 
their  love  to  each  other  is  really  love  to  Chrift  :  it  is 
the  fame  affection,  exerciled  and  expreffed  in  this  way. 
This  is  reprefented  in  this  light  by  Chrift  himfelf,  when 
he  tells  us  in  what  a  light  this  matter  will  be  fet  at  the 
day  of  judgment ;  "  And  the  King  fiiall  anfwer,  and 
fay  unto  them,  V:-rily  I  fay  unto  you,  in  as  much  as  ye 
have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  leaft  of  thefe  my  brethren, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  me.**  If  the  acts  of  love  and 
kindnefs  which  Chriftians  do,  one  towards  another,  are 

realty 


SeRM.    V.  BETWEEN    EACH   OTHER.  ^J 

really  done  to  Chrift,  and  are  acts  of  love  to  him  ;  then 
•the  whole  of  the  love  and  friendihip  between  them,  of 
which  thele  outward  ac^s  are  the  teftimony  and  fruit, 
is  really  the  fame  thing  with  love  to  Chrift.  This  is 
the  great  and  peculiar  happinefs  of  this  Chriftian  friend- 
iliip,  and  renders  it  a  moll  rciined,  exalted  and  even  di- 
vine friendihip,  and  brings  them  into  that  fweet  union, 
-and  peculiar  onenefs,  for  which  their  great  Friend  and 
Patron  once  prayed  :  "  Neither  pray  i  tor  thefe  alone, 
but  for  them  alfo  which  fhall  believe  on  me  through 
their  word  ;  that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Father, 
art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  they  alio  may  be  one  in 
us." 

The  believer's  love  to  Chrift,  in  a  fenfe  of  his  fuper- 
lative  beauty,  excellence  and  worthinefs,  naturally,  and 
even  n-eceflarily,  leads  him  to  love  and  delight  in  all  thofe 
who  are  in  any  degree  conformed  to  him,  and  bear  his 
image  and  likenefs  :  for  this  is  not  a  different  thing  from 
loving  Chrift  himfelf,  as  this  likenefs  or  image  of  Chrift 
is  Chrift  himfelf  formed  and  living  in  them.  And  this 
likenefs  to  Chrift  will  be  more  efpecially  lovely  and 
charming  to  the  friend  of  Chrift,  if  it  conlifts  fummari- 
ly  in  love  to  Chrift:,  in  a  high  efteem  of  him,  and  true 
benevolence  and  aftedlon  to  him,  which  is  the  -cafe  here : 
for  the  more  any  one  loves  and  efteems  Chrift,  the  more 
•delirous  he  will  be  that  others  fhall  love  and  efteem  him, 
and  the  more  pleafed  and  gratified  he  will  be  with  the 
love  and  efteem  which  others  exercife  towards  him  ;  and 
the  more  will  he  love  and  efteem  them,  and  be  more  be- 
nevolent towards  them.  He  whofe  heart  is  full  of  be- 
nevolence and  good  will  to  Chrift,  muft  be  pleafed  with 
and  delight  in  the  friendly  benevolence  of  others  to 
him  ;  and  this  will  alfo  excite  a  peculiar  benevolence 
and  good  will  to  fuch. 

'  Befides,  in  proportion  to  the  love  any  one  has  to 
Chrift,  he  will  have  an  affedion  for  thofe  who  are  be- 
loved by  Chrift ;  fo  that  Chrift's  love  of  benevolence  and 
(complacency  to  his  people  has  great  influence  in  uniting 
them  to  one  another  in  the  deareft  love  and  affection. 

lie 


B^  FR,IENDSHIP   OF    CHRISTIANS  SeRM.   V; 

J^e  who  greatly  loves  a  dear  friend,  will  naturally  love 
^11  that  are  friendly  to  him,  and  all  to  whom  he  is  a 
friend.  His  being  a  friend  to  them  will  neceilarily  re- 
commend them  to  him,  and  render  them  the  objedis  of 
his  complacency  and  benevolence.  This  takes  place  in 
the  cafe  before  us,  in  the  mofl  happy  manner,  and  to  the 
Jiigheft  degree.  In  this  view  and  to  this  purpofe  it  is 
that  Chrift  propofes  his  own  example  of  love  to  his  dif- 
eiples,  as  a  motive  and  inducement  to  them  to  love  one 
another,  with  that  love  and  friendlhip  which  is  peculiar 
to  Chriftians,  as  he  knew  it  would  have  the  moft  pow- 
erful influence  upon  them  :  "  This  is  my  command- 
ment, that  ye  love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you.'* 
Ko  other  fociety  of  friends  have  fuch  a  powerful  motive 
to  love  one  another  as  this  which  Chriit  lets  before  his 
difciples.  He  has  loved  them  fo  as  to  give  his  life  for 
them,  and  he  has  made  their  intereft  his  own  to  all  in- 
tents and  purpofes ;  and  they  are  dear  to  him,  and  pre- 
cious in  his  light,  anfwerable  to  what  he  has  done  and 
(uffered  for  them.  If  therefore  they  love  him,  if  he  is 
Jionourable  and  precious  in  their  light,  and  they  are 
friends  to  his  intereft ;  they  certainly  will  love  thofe 
■who  are  fo  dear  to  him,  and  have  fuch  an  intereft  in  his 
affedions.  How  greatly  does  this  recommend  Chriftians 
one  to  another,  and  render  them  dear  and  precious  in 
each  others*  eyes,  and  promote  a  fweet  and  noble 
friendlhip,  which  is  known  to  no  other  perfon  in  the 
univerfe ! 

And  it  may  be  further  obferved,  that  this  fweet, 
humble,  Chriftian  love,  which  is  the  image  of  Chrift's 
love  and  grace,  ferves  further  to  endear  Chriftians  to 
each  other,  and  increafe  and  heighten  their  friendfhip 
to  each  other :  for  there  is  a  peculiar  and  inexpreflible 
fweetnefs  and  enjoyment  in  being  beloved  by  thofe 
who  are  fo  amiable  and  honourable  in  our  eyes,  and  with 
fuch  an  ardent,  humble,  fvveet  and  pure  affedion  as 
Chriftian  love  is.  The  Chriftian,  who  has  a  fenfible 
^nd  moft  pleafmg  idea  of  this  love  and  alFeftion,  cannot 
fcel  himfelf  embraced  by  others  with  this  tender,  beau- 
tiful. 


SeRM.  V.      BETWEEN  EACH  OTHER.  Sj 

tiful,  noble  love  and  friendship,  without  an  ineffable  fen- 
i'ation,  which  fills  his  heart  with  the  moft  iweet  delight 
and  joy,  and  kindles  a  flame  in  his  foul  of  holy  love  and 
gratitude  to  them,  in  which  he  returns  love  for  love, 
and  embraces  them  with  the  arms  of  the  moft  delight- 
ful, tender  and  heart-melting  friendfliip.  Thus  the 
mutual  love  of  Chriftians  ferves  to  fweeten  and  increale 
their  affection  to  each  other,  and  blows  the  coals  and 
kindles  up  the  fire  of  friendfhip  to  a  more  intenfe  and 
vehement  flame.  The  more  fenfi.ble  any  one  is  that  he 
is  the  objeft  of  the  Chriftian  love  of  another,  whom  he 
efteems  highly  as  an  amiable  difciple  of  Chrift,  and  the 
more  evidences  and  tokens  he  has  of  this  love,  the  more 
will  his  heart  be  inflamed  in  love  to  him  ;  which  again 
will  increafe  and  heighten  the  other's  love  :  and  thus, 
by  the  influence  of  their  mutual  love  and  friendfhip, 
the  fweet  flame  rifes  higher  and  higher,  until  they  are 
all  melted  and  diflolved,  and  turned  into  a  moft  pure, 
aftive,  perfect  flame  :  like  two  brands  on  fire,  which 
burn  flow,  and  give  but  a  moderate  heat,  when  apart ; 
but  being  put  together,  by  the  mutual  action  and  in- 
fluence one  on  the  other,  the  heat  increafes  into  a  burr*- 
ing  flam.e,  which  foon  fets  them  all  on  fire. 

Again  :  Their  being  united  in  the  belief  of  the  fame 
fyftem  of  fweet,  important  truth,  and  engaged  in  the 
fame  common  intereft,  and  in  the  fame  purfuits,  and 
having  the  fame  view«,  defigns,  temper  and  difpofition  ; 
and  being,  as  to  fubftance,  in  the  fame  ftate  and  circum- 
ftances  ;  in  all  thefe  refpedts,  and  many  others,  being 
alike,  united  and  bearing  a  refemblance  to  each  other, 
Hke  the  children  of  one  family,  united  under  one  kind, 
wife  friend  and  father  ;  Chriftians  being  thus  united, 
and  bear  in  Of  this  likenefs  to  each  other  in  fo  many  re- 
fpects,  is  many  ways  a  great  advantage  to  this  iriend- 
ihip,  and  greatly  adds  to  its  beauty  and  fweetnefs,  and 
ferves  to  increafe  their  love,  and  the  union  of  their 
hearts  to  each  other. 

As  this  is  fuch  a  pleafant,  delightful,  as  well  as  noble, 
important  theme,  in  which  every  Chrillian  has  fo  much 

concern 


355  FRIENDSHIP   OF   CHRISTIANS  SerM.    V, 

concern  and  experience,  it  is  proper  and  pleafmg  to  add 
a  few  words  more,  and  defcend  into  fome  particulars. 

This  friendfhip,  which  Chriftians  have  one  with 
another,  by  virtue  of  their  union  and  friendfliip  with 
Chrift,  the  greateft  and  beft  friend,  and  the  fountain 
and  fource  of  all  true  friendlliip  among  men  ;  this  love 
and  friendfhip  has  true  bumUttj  as  its  foundation  and 
bafrs,  and  its  peculiar  beauty  and  glory. 

Pride  is  mcft  contrary  to  true  friendlhip,  and  always 
interrupts  and  fpoils  the  exercifes  and  enjoyments  of  it, 
fo  far  as  it  takes  place.  Every  one's  obfervation  and 
experience  will  bear  an  inconteftible  teftimony  to  this, 
and  ihews  that  true  friendfhip  is  found  no  where  but 
among  the  meek  and  humble.  Now  Chriftians,  by  vir- 
tue of  their  love  and  union  to  Chrift,  and  the  friend- 
lhip with  him  which  has  been  defcribed,  are  become 
humble,  meek  and  lowly,  fo  are  in  a  peculiar  manner 
formed  for  true  and  fwect  friendftiip  with  each  other  ; 
a  friendfliip  which  far  iurpalfes  that  of  any  other  crea- 
tures in  the  univerfe.  Their  native  flate  and  circum- 
ftances,  fmful,  loft,  enemies  to  God  and  the  Saviour, 
infinitely  miferable,  guilty,  odious  and  ill-deferving,  lays 
a  foundation  for  felf  abafement  and  humility,  when  tru- 
ly difcerned  and  underftood,  which  cannot  take  place  to 
the  fame  degree  in  any  other  circumftances.  And  their 
abfolute  and  exceeding  dependence  on  Chrift,  and  his 
rich,  fovereign  grace,  for  righteoufnefs  and  ftrength, 
and  every  good  thing,  ferves  to  fet  them  low,  and  abafe 
them  forever,  in  their  own  eyes.  And  the  wonderful, 
amazing  humility  of  Chrift  their  beloved  friend,  which 
he  exercifed  in  his  aftonilhing  ftoop  and  low  abafement 
for  their  fakes,  by  which  he  in  a  fenfe  became  the  leaft 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  ftrikes  their  minds  with  a  pe- 
culiar energy,  and  confpires  with  the  above  mentioned 
circumftances  to  humble  them  and  lay  them  very  low. 
The  friends  of  Chrift  are  therefore  in  this  fenfe  tittle  ones  ; 
little  in  their  own  fight,  and  in  true  humility :  they 
have  taken  Chrift's  yoke  upon  them,  and  have  learned 
of  him,  who  is,  above  all  others,  meek  and  lowly  of 

toft. 


SeRM.    V.  BETWEEN    EACH    OTHXRr  8f 

heart.  And  as  they  have,  under  the  teachings  of 
Chrift,  a  clear  and  affecting  view  of"  their  own  charac- 
ter, as  fmners,  in  all  its  meanneis,  contemptiblcnefs  and 
odious  deformity,  which  they  cannot  have  of  otlicrs, 
their  fellow  Chriftians,  they  naturally  have  a  much 
meaner  thought  of  themfelves  than  of  others.  There- 
fore, in  the  exercife  of  this  true  friendfliip,  they  are  not 
difpofcd  to  exalt  themfelves,  and  be  jealous  of  their 
own  honour  and  prerogatives,  and  be  difpleafed  becaui'e 
others  do  not  love,  efteem,  refpect  and  honour  them  fo 
much  as  they  defire,  and  they  think  they  ought  to  do. 
No !  but  direftly  the  reverfe  of  this  ;  they  are  ready  to 
think  others  their  Chriftian  friends  have  too  high  an 
efteem  of  them,  and  a  love  and  friendfliip  for  them  of 
which  they  are  altogether  unworthy.  Thus  Chriftians 
are  always  difpofed  to  abafe  and  humble  themfelves,  and, 
in  the  exercife  of  this  love  and  friendfhip,  are  preferring 
others,  and  fetting  them  above  themfelves  :  and  thus 
they  are  "  kindly  afftdioned  one  to  ;motlier,"  in  the- 
ftrongeft  and  fweeteft  friendftiip,  "  with  brotherly  love, 
in  honour  preferring  one  another.'*  Nothing  is  done 
through  ftrife,  or  vain  glory;  but,  in  lowlinefs  of  mind, 
each  efteems  others  better  than  themfelves.  And,  as 
the  chofen,  holy,  beloved  friends  of  Chrift,  they  have 
*'  put  on  bowels  of  mercies,  kindnefs,  humhlcjiefs  of  mind ^ 
meeknefs,  long  fuffering  ;  forbearing  one  another,  and 
forgiving  one  another,  even  as  Chrift  has  loved  and  for- 
given them.  As  by  pride  and  an  haughty  fpirit  cometh 
contention,  fo  the  meeknefs  and  humility  of  mind, 
which  is  efl'ential  to  every  true  lover  of  Chrift,  prepares 
true  Chriftians  for  a  fweet,  holy  and  intimate  friendlliip 
one  with  another,  which  no  other  perfons  are  capable 
of,  and  in  which  there  is  a  truly  noble  enjoyment  and 
pleafure,  which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take 
away,  and  which  cannot  be  told  to  him  who  has  never 
tafted  it. 

Moreover,  the  uprightnefs  and  faithfulnefs  of  which 
every  one  is  poflefted,  who  is  a  friend  to  Chrift,  and 
which  is  peculiar  to  them,  adds  a  great  degree  of  ex- 
cellence 


^S  FRIENDSHIP    OF    CHRISTIANS  SerM.   V. 

cellence  and  happinefs  to  Chriftian  frlendfhlp,  which  can 
be  enjoyed  in  no  other  union  and  connection.  Sinceri- 
ty, truth  and  faithfuhiefs  come  into  the  very  effence  of 
true  tiiendfhip ;  and  the  more  there  is  of  thefe,  the 
more  liife  and  happy  are  perfons  in  their  friendfliip. 
When  it  may  be  faid  of  any,  what  is  faid  of  the  wicked 
in  general,  even  all  that  are  not  friends  to  Chrift, 
"  that  there  is  no  faithfulnefs  in  their  mouth  ;  their 
inward  part  is  very  wickednefs ;  their  throat  is  an  open 
fepulchre ;  they  flatter  with  their  tongue ; "  they  are 
not  capable  of  true  friendfliip,  whatever  may  pafs  be- 
tween them  that  may  be  called  by  that  name.  They 
may  have  a  fort  of  love  and  union  to  one  another,  on 
feme  occaflons  and  in  certain  cafes,  as  a  company  of 
pirates  or  banditti  may  have  a  fort  of  union  and  friend- 
ihip,  grounded  wholly  upon  felf  love  and  intereft.  But 
this  is  a  very  low,  mean  thing  at  beft  ;  it  cannot  give 
the  enjoyments  of  true  friendihip ;  and,  fuch  as  it  is, 
there  can  be  no  dependence  upon  it,  that  it  will  con- 
tinue. It  being  built  on  no  liable  principle,  it  fliifts  and 
changes,  flourishes  or  dies,  according  to  external  chan- 
ges, and  the  fhifting  of  humours,  interefts  and  circum- 
llances.  They  may  be  great  friends  one  day,  and  the 
next  be  at  fwords'  points,  hating  and  oppofing  each 
other  more  than  any  body  elfe ;  improving  all  their 
former  intimacy,  and  the  confidence  they  had  put  in 
each  other,  as  an  advantage  put  into  their  hands  of  be- 
traying and  injuring  one  another  to  the  utmoft  of  their 
power.  There  are  fo  many  inftances  of  this  every 
where  among  mankind,  that  every  obferving  perfon 
mufl:  have  abundant  evidence  of  the  juftice  of  this  re- 
mark. 

The  true  friends  and  difciples  of  Chrift  are  of  a  dif- 
ferent character  :  they  are  lincere,  upright,  true,  and 
faithful.  Therefore  they  are  commonly  characterized 
by  this  in  fcripture — the  upright ^  the  jujl,  the  faithful ; 
by  which  they  are  diftinguiflied  from  all  others.  They 
are  of  a  flncere,  upright  and  faithful  fpirit,  which  is  pe- 
culiar to  them.    This,  therefore,  prepares  them  for  a 

union 


SeRM.  \^.      BETWEEN  EACH  OTHER.  89 

union  and  friendfhip  with  each  other,  which  can  be 
found  no  where  elfe.     They  may  open  their  hearts  and 
divulge  their  fecrets  to  each  other,  without  danger  ^  of 
being  betrayed,  and  truft  and  rely  on  one  another  with 
a  great  degree  of  confidence  and  fafety  :  and  there  is  a 
proper  foundation  for  a  lafting  and  growing  friendfhip, 
whatever  changes  there  may  be  in  external  circumftan- 
ces.     Thus  they  have  the  character  of  Solomon's  true 
friend,  who  "  loveth  at  all  times."     They  love  without 
diflimulation.     In  obeying  the  truth,  through  the  Spirit, 
their  fouls  are  purified  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  breth- 
ren ;  and  they  love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart,  fer- 
vently.    He  who  is  poffeffed  of  Chriftian  fincerity,  in- 
tegrity  and  faithfulnefs,  has  a  pleafing  idea,  of  which 
they  who  are  not  of  this  character  have  no  true  con- 
ception ;  and  his  heart  is  united  to,   and  delights   in, 
thofe  who  appear  to  be  of  this  character,  Vv^ith  a  peculiar 
love  and  affection.     And  the  love  of  fuch  to  each  other 
is  not  built  on  any  worldly  circumftances  and  connec- 
tions, or  felf  intereft.     It  is  a  more  noble,  exalted,  fm- 
cere  affection,  and  is  built  on  more  fiieady,  lafting  prin- 
ciples,  of  which  the  poor,  if  they  are  the  difciples  of 
Chrift,  are  as  much  the  objects  as  the  rich :  and  it  goes 
forth  as  freely  and  ftrongly  to  thofe  who  are  overlook- 
ed and  defpifed  by  the  men   of  the  world,  as  to  the 
great  and  honourable.      How  much  has  fuch  a  friend- 
fhip the  advantage  of  all  others  !   and  how  greatly  hap- 
py muft  fuch  friends  be  in  each  other !     Every   thing 
that  is  called  love  and  friendftiip,  in  this  world,  is  not 
worthy  the  name,  when  compared  with  this. 

And  the  friends  of  Chrift,  who  are  moft  acquainted 
with  each  other,  do  naturally  enter  more  and  more  into 
a  near,  intimate  and  tender  friendfhip.  As  their  ac- 
quaintance increafes,  the  higher  does  their  love  arife. 
And  their  mutual  kindnefs  and  a6ls  of  love  and  help- 
fulnefs  one  to  another,  and  conftant,  earneft  prayers 
for  each  other,  tend  to  keep  up  and  increafs  their 
friendfhip,  and  render  it  more  and  more  perfect,  fweet, 
delightful  and  profitable. 

N  Tlius, 


90  FRl£ND.<niP    OF    CHP.ISTIANS  SeRM.    V. 

Thus,  by  virtue  and  in  confequence  of  Chriftians* 
union  to  Clirift,  and  friendlhip  with  him,  a  peculiar, 
dear  love  and  friendlhip  takes  place  between  them, 
which  is  the  moft  fuicere,  exalted,  noble  and  ravifliingiy 
Iweet  exercife  and  enjoyment  that  can  take  place  among 
creatures.  Their  fouls  are  united  and  knit  together 
with  the  bands  of  the  mod;  pure,  flrong  and  Lifting 
friendfhip,  as  the  foul  of  Jonathan  was  to  David,  when 
he  loved  him  as  his  own  foul.  And  as  the  love  and 
friendfhip  between  them  was,  fo  is  that  between  the 
friends  of  Chrift  ;  even  wonderful^  P^Jf^^^S  ^^^^  ^^'^'^  9f  '^^' 
men.  It  is  unfpeakably  more  pure,  ftrong,  fervent, 
fweet,  noble,  fteady  and  durable,  than  any  affection  and 
friendihip  which  takes  place  between  the  fexes,  or  any 
perfons  whatfoever,  which  is  founded  only  in  inftinct, 
or  the  principles  of  nature. 

This  love  and  friendHiip  is  indeed  very  imperfe6f  in 
this  ftate,  through  the  great  imperfeclion  and  deficiency 
of  their  lov^e  to  Chrift,  and  their  holinefs  ;  and  by  rea- 
fon  of  that  ignorance  of  each  other  which  takes  place  in 
a  great  degree,  which  prevents  their  certainly  knowing 
who  are  true  friends  to  Chrift,  and  who  are  not,  and 
having  a  full  and  adequate  idea  of  what  is  truly  excel- 
lent in  them,  and  their  having  fo  much  about  them 
which  is  contrary  to  true  friendfhip,  as  is  all  their  re- 
maining corruption  and  fmfulnefs  of  heart.  And  this 
friendihip  is  alfo  imperfect  in  this  ftate,  and  often,  if 
jiot  always,  is  the  occaiion  of  fome  uneafmefs  and  pain, 
in  the  midft  of  all  the  fweets  of  it,  by  reafon  of  external 
circumftances.  They  are  often  baniftied  from  each 
others'  prefence,  and  obliged  to  live  at  a  diftance,  by 
which  their  acquaintance  and  intercourfe  is  in  a  great 
meafure  interrupted.  But  if  this  is  not  the  cafe,  and 
they  have  much  opportunity  to  be  together,  and  have 
friendly  intercourfe,  they  are  liable  to  mifunderftand 
each  other,  and  are  often  unable  to  communicate  the 
fentiments  and  friendly  exercifes  of  their  fouls  to  their 
friends  fo  clearly  as  would  be  neceflary  in  order  fully  to 
gratify  their  love  and  friendfliip.     And,  befides,  Chrif- 

tian 


SeRM.  V.      BETWEEN  EACH  OTHER. 


91 


tian  friends  in  this  ftatc  arc  liable  to,  and  are  actually 
the  fubjeds  of,  many  calamities  and  diftreffes  of  body 
and  mind.  Now,  the  more  love  and  benevolence  we 
have  for  our  friends,  the  higher  fympathy  iliall  we  have 
with  them  under  their  troubles,  and  their  burdens  and 
calamities  will  neceffarily  become  ours  in  fome  meafure ; 
fo  that  the  higher  degree  of  love  and  friendfhip  we  have 
for  them,  the  more  fhall  we  fuffer  with  them  when  they 
are  in  trouble.  And  though  there  is  a  pleafure  even  in 
this  pain  ;  yet,  according  to  the  fuppofition,  pain  there 
is,  and  neceffarily  will  be,  in  fuch  a  iituation. 

Tliis  view  of  the  matter  fhews  us  that  perfect  love 
and  friendihip  does  not  take  place  in  this  ftate  ;  nor 
can  it  exiil  to  the  bcil  advantage,  unlefs  in  a  ilate  of 
perfe(5lion. 

However,  even  in  this  ftate  of  weaknefs  and  imper- 
fedion,  where  there  is  fo  much  remaining  darknefs  and 
fm  in  the  beft  Chriftian,  and  there  are  fo  many  difad- 
vantages  to  friendfliip,  true  Chriftian  friendihip  affords 
the  moft  fweet,  refined,  noble  enjoyment  that  can  be 
had  in  this  life.  It  furpaffes  ail  other  friendfliips,  in  this 
refped,  more  than  the  brightness  of  the  meridian  fun 
exceeds  the  ffiining  of  the  meaneft  glov\^-worm.  They 
are  by  far  the  happieft  perfons  on  earth,  who,  being 
friends  to  Jefus  Chrift,  are,  by  virtue  of  this,  formed 
for  true  love  and  friendihip  to  each  other,  and  are 
brought  into  a  union  and  onenefs  of  heart  and  affection, 
by  which  they  delight  in,  embrace  and  enjoy  each  other 
in  the  arms  of  the  moft  pure  and  ardent  love.  A  fo- 
ciety  of  fuch  friends  and  lovers  is  the  moft  bleffed  fo- 
ciety  on  earth,  whatever  their  worldly  circumftances 
are.  All  earthly  good,  all  the  riches,  honours  and  plea- 
fures  of  this  world,  are  not  to  be  compared  with  this  ; 
yea,  they  are  utterly  to  be  defpifed  and  contemned,  in 
comparifon  with  this.  And  all  other  unions  and  friend- 
fliips that  take  place  among  men,  which  are  not  found- 
ed on  love  and  friendftiip  to  Chrift,  are  inftpid,  mean 
and  worthlefs,  compared  with  this  Chnjl'ian  friendfhip, 
which  has  infinitely  the  advantage  of  them  fo   many 

wavs. 


93  FRIENDSHIP    OF    CHP.ISTIANS  SeRM.     V. 

ways.  This  the  chriftlefs  perfon  may  difbelieve  ;  and 
it  may  be  impoffible  to  convince  him  of  it,  as  he  has 
really  no  true  idea  of  the  thing.  But  he  who  has  tafted 
the  fwcctnefs  of  this  friendfhip,  is  a  witnefs  of  the  re- 
fined, fuperlative  pleafures  of  it,  and  prefers  it  to  all 
other  friendftiips,  unfpeakably  more  than  he  who  is 
athirft  prefers  the  pure,  living,  cryftal  ftream,  to  a  v*^arm, 
dirty,  putrid  puddle.  Well  may  the  words  of  the 
Royal  Singer  be  applied  to  this  noble  and  happy  union 
and  friendfhip  :  "  Behold,  hov/  good  and  how  pleafant 
it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !  It  is  like 
the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down 
i^pon  the  bqard,  even  Aaron's  beard,  that  went  down  to. 
the  ikirts  of  his  garments.'* 

There  has  been  comparatively  little  of  this  Chriftian 
friendfhip,  we  have  reafon  to  believe,  in  the  world, 
hitherto ;  but  few  who  have  known  the  pleafures  of 
this  facred  union  ;  and  moft  of  thofe  who  have  felt  and 
exercifed  a  degree  of  this  divine  friendfhip,  have  had 
but  a  very  imxperfect  and  low  degree  of  it;  fo  that  it 
has  never  had  advantage  to  appear  in  its  true  beauty, 
and  happy,  glorious  effects.  This  pure,  foul-exalting 
and  refrefhing  love  to  Chrift,  and  union  and  friendfliip 
to  each  other,  has  yet  been  a  great  ftranger  in  this 
world :  but  the  time  is  coming  when  the  world  fliall  be 
full  of  it ;  when  all  nations  fhall  become  the  friends  and 
fervants  of  Chrift,  and  that  in  the  exercife  of  a  high 
degree  of  love  to  him.  And  their  love  and  friendfhip 
one  to  another  will  bear  a  proportion  to  this.  Each 
one  will  find  himfelf  furrounded  with  thofe  who  give 
fatisfying  and  abundant  evidence  of  their  love  to  Chrift, 
and  beautiful,  growing  conformity  to  him,  and  of  their 
peculiar  benevolence  to,  and  delight  in,  all  the  difciples 
of  Him  whom  they  fo  ardently  love — will  therefore  fee 
himfelf  loved  and  embraced  by  them,  with  the  tendereft 
and  mi  oft  plcafing  atfeftion  and  friendfhip.  And  how 
will  his  heart  glow  with  ardent  love  to,  and  fweet  de- 
light in  them,  while  he  aflbciates  and  converfes  \vitli 
them  with  the  mofl  dear  and  unreferved  intimacy  !  yea, 

their 


SerM.  V.      BETWEEN  EACH  OTHER.  93 

their  hearts  will  burn  with  the  fire  of  this  facred  love 
and  friendfhip,  whenever  they  fee,  or  even  think  of, 
one  another.  Then  every  breaft  ihall  fwell  with  a  de- 
gree of  pleafure  and  joy,  which  yet  has  been  but  little 
known ;  and  a  happinefs,  which  has  yet  been  hardly 
tailed  in  this  world,  fball  fpread  itfelf  like  a  mighty, 
pure  river  of  delight,  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  But 
this  friendfhip  will  not  come  to  its  full  perfection 
and  glory  in  this  ftate.  We  cannot  therefore  have  tlie 
moft  profitable,  or  even  a  jull  idea  of  it,  unlefs  we  raife 
our  thoughts  to  that  world,  and  glorious  kingdom,  in- 
to which  all  the  friends  of  Chrift  will  be  flior'cly  gather- 
ed, and  united  in  one  moft  amiable  and  happy  fociety, 
in  the  prefence  of  their  common,  moft  kind,  excellent 
and  exalted  friend,  in  the  beft  circumftances,  and  every 
way  under  the  higheft  poflibie  advantages  to  exercife 
and  enjoy  the  fweeteft  and  moft  perfect  mutual  love 
and  friendfhip  with  Chrift  and  one  another.  All  that 
precedes  this  is  very  imperfeft,  and  only  preparatory 
and  an  introduction  to  this  moft  perfect  and  happy 
union  and  friendfhip,  where  the  moft  pure  and  exalted 
love  will  be  exercifed  to  the  higheft  pitch,  without  any 
reftraint,  and  fo  as  to  give  the  higheft  poflibie  enjoy- 
ment. 

There  their  love  to  Chrift  will  be  perfect ;  they  will  be 
all  turned  into  a  pure  and  moft  vehement  flame  of  love 
to  him ;  and  Ins  love  will  be  fhed  abroad,  and  poured 
out  on  them,  as  moft  plentiful,  refrefhing  floods  of 
water  upon  the  parched  ground  ;  which  they  will  drink 
in  with  the  higheft  relifti,  and  moft  facred,  ravifhing, 
delight.  And  they  will  each  one  appear  in  the  perfect 
iind  moft  amiable  image  of  Chrift,  perfectly  excellent, 
beautiful  and  lovely,  and  full  of  the  moft  fweet  and  live- 
ly aftection  to  each  other.  The  more  they  love  Chrift, 
and  the  greater  aifurance  and  fenfe  they  have  of  his  love 
to  them,  the  more  love  will  they  have  to  each  other. 
They  will  have  the  greateft  efteem  of,  and  complacency 
in,  one  another.  They  will  have  as  free  intercourle 
and  as  great  intimacy  with  each   other  as  they  can  de-. 

fire : 


54'  FRIENDSHIP   OF    CHRISTIANS  SeRM.  V. 

fire :  there  will  be  nothing  to  keep  them  at  the  leaft 
diftance.  They  will  be  perfectly  acquainted  with  each 
other,  and  have  the  moft  happy  and  eafy  way  of  com- 
municating their  thoughts,  and  pouring  out  their  whole 
hearts  and  fouls  into  each  others'  bofoms,.  and  exprelling 
their  love  to  and  delight  in  each  other.  If  the  intimacy 
Chriftian  friends  have  with  each  other  here  is  fo  plea- 
fant,  and  it  is  fo  fweet  to  be  beloved  by  them ;  what 
will  it  be  to  be  embraced  with  fuch  lirong,  conftant 
love,  and  enjoy  a  familiarity  and  intimacy,  in  which 
they  will  mingle  fouls,  without  any  referve  or  reftraint, 
and  which  will  inconceivably  exceed  the  greateft  inti- 
macy, and  moft  tender  embraces,  of  the  dcareft  friends 
in  this  world  !  How  happy  nmft  they  be  whofe  love  is 
made  perfect,  and  flows  out  to  each  other,  without  any 
reftraint,  in  a  moft  rapid  torrent,  and  is  gratified  every 
way  to  the  higheft  pollible  degree  !  And  there  will  be 
nothing  to  cloy  or  abate  this  love ;  it  will  never  fail  or 
change,  unlefs  it  be  to  grow  more  ardent  and  ftrong. 
The  longer  they  live  together,  and  the  more  they  are 
acquainted  with  each  other,  the  higher  will  their  love 
and  friendfhip  rife.  And  their  benevolence  to  each 
other  will  be  pleafed  and  gratified  to  the  higheft  degree; 
for  their  friends,  to  whom  they  wifii  fo  weU,  are  in  the 
moft  happy  circumftances,  are  as  happy  as  they  can  pof- 
fibly  wiih  and  delire  :  fo  that  all  their  good  will  to 
each  other  will  be  exercifed  and  exprefted  in  the  greateft 
fatisfaftion  and  joy  in  their  happinefs.  And  what  kind 
oftices,  may  we  fuppofe,  thefe  friends  will  be  conftantly 
doing  for  each  other,  by  which  they  will  gratify  and 
promote  the  happinefs  of  one  another  ! 

And  their  acquaintance  and  fpecial  conneclions  in  this 
world,  and  efpecially  the  good  they  have  been  the  in- 
ftruments  of  doing  to  each  other  here,  will  greatly  ferve 
to  increafe  and  fweeten  their  love  and  friendftiip  in 
heaven.  With  what  unfpeakable  delight  will  thefe  things 
be  remembered  and  recounted  to  each  other  there  ! 
With  what  inefflible  love  and  gratitude  will  the  con- 
verted and  faved  embrace  thofe  who  have  been  the  hap- 

py 


SeRM.  V.      BETWEEN  EACH  OTHER.  .95 

py  Inftruments  of  this  ;  wliile  they,  on  the  other  hand, 
Ihall  be  to  fuch  the  occafion  of  their  peculiar  joy,  and 
their  crown  of  rejoicing  forever,  and  be  embraced  by 
them  with  incxpreflible  tendernefs,  love  and  delight. — 
And,  Oil,  how  wall  they  that  have  been  moll  intimately 
acquainted  here,  and  united  in  love,  and  have  moll 
abounded  in  ads  of  kindnefs  and  friendfliip  to  each 
other,  and  have  been  greatly  inftrumental  many  ways 
of  promoting  the  Ipiritual  good  and  falvation  of  each 
other  ;  how  will  fuch,  however  they  may  be  parted  by 
death  for  a  while,  meet,  with  peculiar  and  unfpeakabie 
joy,  in  that  world,  and  love  and  embrace  each  other 
forever  in  the  arms  of  the  moll  tender,  fweet,  exalted, 
growing  friendfhip  !  In  a  word,  there  lliall  be  no  fmful 
mixtures  in  their  love  and  friendfliip,  and  no  defects, 
as  there  always  are  here  ;  but  it  will  be  moft  pure  and 
untainted.  The  more  they  love  one  another,  not  the 
lefs,  but  the  more,  will  they  love  Jefus,  their  common 
friend :  there  will  be  no  need  of  caution  and  reflraint  ; 
no  danger  of  runnins:  to  excefs.  There  will  be  the 
moil  perfed,  refined  pleafure,  without  tne  leait  pam, 
which  unavoidably  attends  the  moft  exalted  friendfliip 
in  this  world.  All  the  tears  their  friendfliip  has  occa- 
iioned  here  fliall  be  forever  wiped  from  their  eyes. 
There  fliall  be  nothing  but  the  moll  perfect,  fweet  union 
and  harmony ;  nothing  in  the  way  of  their  exprefling 
their  love,  and  enjoying  each  other,  without  the  leail 
danger  or  fear  of  having  it  interrupted,  or  of  their  be- 
ing parted  from  the  friendly  embraces  of  each  other,  to 
all  eternity.  What  a  world  of  love  and  friendfliip  will 
this  be !  Though  all  who  enter  into  the  fchool  of  Chrifl 
have  fome  experience  of  the  fweets  and  happinefs  of  this 
friendfl^iip,  yet  how  low  and  childifli  are  our  thoughts 
and  conceptions  of  this  matter.  Surely  eye  hath  not 
feen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart 
of  any  of  the  faints,  the  things  which  Chrift  has  laid  up 
for  them  that  love  him,  and  have  entered  into  this  di- 
vine friendfliip  w^ith  him,  and  with  each  other, 

A 


■■^'6  FRIENDSHIP    OF    CHRISTIANS,    &C.  SeRM*    V. 

A  little  of  this  friendlhip,  in  this  world,  naturally^ 
and  even  necellarily,  leads  thefc  Chriftian  friends,  while 
they  feel  the  imperfedions,  impediments  and  interrup- 
tions of  this  love  and  friendlhip  here,  to  look  forward 
to,  and  long  for,  that  perfeft  ftate,  where  this  divine 
affeftion  Ihall  be  exercifed  and  gratified  to  the  higheft 
degree,  and  they  ftiall  eternally  fwim  in  a  boundlefs 
ocean  of  love.  The  more  this  friendfhip  flourifhes  in 
their  breafts  now,  the  more  weaned  are  they  from 
earth,  and  all  its  enjoyments  j  the  more  are  their  hearts 
fixed  on  heaven,  and  the  higher  and  ftronger  are  their 
longings  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  fociety  and  friendfliip 
of  that  world  of  love  ;  and  the  greater  is  their  hope 
and  alTurance  of  enjoying  it  forever. 

And  who  can  be  willing  to  live  and  die  a  ftranger  to 
this  Chriftian  love  and  friendfliip,  and  fo  mifs  of  that 
world  of  happinefs  in  which  it  fliall  ilTue,  and  where  it 
fhall  flourifli  forever  !  Who  can  be  content  to  give  up 
his  heart  to  that  love  and  thofe  friendfliips  only,  which 
are  attended  with  certain  difappointment,  and  only 
ferve  to  perplex  and  torture  the  mind,  and  will  affured- 
iy  iffue  in  darknefs,  horror,  and  eternal  hatred  and 
difcord  ! 

Bleffed,  unfpeakably  bleiTed,  are  they  in  whofe  hearts 
this  love  and  friendfhip  is  begun  ;  who,  becaufe  they 
love  Chrift,  love  his  people  alfo ;  and  know  that  they 
love  Chrift,  and  have  paiTed  from  death  to  life,  bccaufs 
they  love  the  brethren. 

Let  us  then  love  one  another,  not  in  word,  neither 
in  tongue  only,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth  ;  that  hereby 
we  may  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  affure  our 
hearts  before  God.  For  this  is  his  commandment,  that 
we  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jefus  Chrift,  and 
love  one  another. 


SERMON 


niwii  BHiawiiMna— liiiiM  im  iiagmiiiiigB  i 


^crmou  VL 


The  Friendfhip  between  Jeiiis  Clirift  and  Believers. 


Cant.  V.  1 6.     This  is  my  beloved^  and  this  Is  m-j  friend. 

PROCEED  to  mention  other  particulars  relating  to 
Jefus  Chrill,  conlidered  in  the  character  of  the  be- 
liever's friend,  and  the  diftinguilhcd  privileges  and  iiap- 
pinefs  of  this  fricndfhip. 

12.     Jefus   Chrift   is  an    unchangeably   faithful  and 
cverlafting  friend.     Faithfulnefs  is  effential  to  the  cha- 
racter of  a  friend  :  without  this  there  can  be  no  fafety 
in  intimacy  with  and  confidence  in  him.     Through  un- 
faithfuinefs  and  inconftancy  profcfied  friends  often  be- 
tray one  another  \  and  many  friendfliips  are  very  fliort- 
lived,  and  diffolve  and  turn  into  enmity  and  difcord. 
But  Chrift  is  a  moft  faithful,  unchangeable  friend.     He 
never  will  forfake  thofe  who  give  themifelves  up  to  this 
friendfliip  ;  but  will  do  all  for  them,  and  be  all  to  them, 
that  they  truft  in  him  for,  or  can  expeel  from  him,  in 
the  character  of  a  moft  able  and  kind  friend  ;  yea,  he  will 
alwa)'s  outdo  all  their  expedtations  and  wiflies.     More- 
over, he  will  take  effectual  care  to  fecure  and  perpetuate 
their  love  and  friendlhip  to  him  ;  fo  that  the  fricndihip 
on  their  parts  ftiall  never  ceafe  after  it  is  once  begun. 
We  have  great  need  of  fuch  a  friend  as  this :    yea,  liich 
a  friend  is  abfolutely  neceffary  for  us  in  this  ftate  of 
weaknefs,    darknefs    and  fin,  and  where  we  are  fur- 
rounded  with  innumerable,  implacable  enemies  to  Chrift 
and  to  us  ;  who  are  potent  and  fubtle,  and  are  continu- 
ally doing  their  utmoft  to  prevent,  interrupt  and  cicftroy 
this  friendfliip.     If  Chrift  was  not  fecurity  for  us  in  this 
rcfpccl  3  if  he  v/as  not  able,  and  had  not  undertaken,  to 

O  prevent 


9^  THE    FRIENDSHIP    BETWEEN  SeRM.    VL 

prevent  our  falling  away  from  this  union  and  friend- 
ihip  ;  alas  I  how  foon  fliould  we  break  our  moil  folcmu 
cnracrements  and  vows,  violate  the  moll  facred  obliera' 
tions,  and  ties  of  the  dearcil  friendmip,  and  turn  enemies 
to  the  grcateil  and  beft  of  friends !     There  is  notruft  to 
be  put  in  any  man  with  refpect  to  this.     But  in  him 
tliere  is  iafety ;    he  has  engaged  that  they  v\ho  once 
choofe  him  as  their  Almighty  and  bell  friend,  Ihall  pcr- 
ievere  in  their  love  to  him.     And  he  is  faithful  who  has 
promifed.     With  regard  to  this,  tlie  eternal  God  a-nd 
Redeemer  is  their  refuge,  and  underneath  every  faint  are 
the  everlafting  arms  of  this  Almighty  and  moft  faithful 
friend  and  SavJcnr.    This  is  he  who  was  Peter's  friend, 
and  prayed  that  his  faith  and  love  might  not  fail  in  the 
fore  trial  and  dangerous  conflict  he  had  to  go  through. 
And  it  was  wholly  owing  ta  his  care  and  faithfulnefs, 
that  Peter  did  not  wholly  fall  from  his  friendfhip  to 
Chrift  I  but  his  trial  and  fall  were  the  occafion  of  the  in- 
crcafe  of  his  love  to  his  beil,  mofl  faithful  and  dearcil 
friend,  fo  that  it  foon  rofe  to  fuch  an  ardent  flame,  that 
he  was  able  vv'ith  the  greateil  confldence  to  fay,  "  Lord, 
thou  knowefl  all  things  ;  thou  knoweil  that  \  love  thee.'* 
Such  a  friend  have  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl; 
in  fmcerity  ;  for  whom  he  once  loves,  he  always  loves  to 
the  end.     How  fafe  and  fecure  then  do  they  feel  them- 
felves  in  this  love  and  friendflitip,  tliat  it  fliall  certainly 
continue  and  flourifli  to  eternity,  who  are  able  to  fay. 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  m:y  friend ! 

13.  Chrift  is  a  moil  meek,  tendei',  cotnpafuonate, 
forgiving  friend. 

If  he  did  not  excel  in  tlieie  things  to  an  infinite  de^ 
gree,  he  could  not  be  our  friend.  We  have  injured 
him  more  than  any  otha*  perfon  in  the  univerfe  ;  and 
have  done  more  to  affront  him,  and  provoke  him  to  an- 
ger, than  ever  was  done  to  any  other.  And  even  his 
friends  have  comparatively  but  a  very  fmail  degree  of 
love  and  friendfhip  to  him  ;  it  is  a  mere  nothing,  com- 
pared to,  what  tliey  ought  to  have,  and  he  is  m.ofl  \vor- 
thy  of.     They  are  guilty  of  the  moil  amazing,  flupidity, 

and 


SerM.    VT.  CHRIST    AND    RELIEVERS.  9O 

and  bafe  ingratitude,  and  in  many  ways  and  refpc6ts  act 
a  moll  foolilh,  wicked  and  unfriendly  part  towards  him, 
"by    which  they  are  violating  the  moft  facred  laws  of 
friendfliip,  and  the  higheft  imaginable  obligations.     No 
friend  but  this  in  the  univcrfe  would  bear  fuch  treat- 
ment, and  yet  continue  his  love  and  friendlhip.     And 
was  he  not  meek,  tender,  conipalTionate  and  long  fuffer- 
ing  beyond  any  parallel,  he  would  fo  refent  fuch  treat- 
ment and  horrid  abufe  of  him  as  t-o  withdraw  his  friend- 
Jliip,  and  renounce  them  forever.    But  as  a  tender  father 
pitieth  his  children,  fo  he  pitieth  his  friends  j  he  i's  long- 
lufFering,  alDundant  in  goodnefs  and  tender  mercy,  and 
ready  to  forgive  all  their  folly,  and  wicked  abufe  of  his 
love.     He  vrill  forgive  them,  not  feven  times  only,  but 
feventy  times  feven  ;  yea,  without  any  bounds  or  limits. 
His  loving  kindnefs  he  will  not  utterly  take  from  them, 
nor  fuffer  his  faithfulnefs  to  fiiil.     We  have  a  flriking 
inftance  of  this  in  his  treatment  of  his  friends  when  he 
was  on  earth.    They  remained  in  a  great  degree  ignorant 
and  unteachable  under  his  conftant  inftrudions.     They 
were  inattentive,  ftupid,  perverfe  and  unbelieving,  in  a 
manner  and  degree  that  was  very  criminal  and  provok- 
ing.    Yet  he  bore  v/ith  them,  and  forgave  them,  and 
continued  his  love  and  kindnefs  to  them.     He  continu- 
ed to  treat  them  with  the  greateft  tendernefs  and  love. 
He  conllantly  attended  to  their  intereft,  and  laboured  for 
their  good,  and  his  love  and  gentlenefs  made  them  great. 
in  the  laft  hours  of  his  life,  when  the  dreadful  fcene  of 
his  fufferings  for  his  people  was  ]uik  before  him,  he,  as  a 
moft  teader  friend,  accommodated  himfelf  to  their  weak- 
nefs  ;  he  attended  to  their  cafe,  their  forrow  and  trou- 
ble touched  his  heart,  and  he  pitied  them?  and  fet  him- 
felf to  inftrucl  and  comfort  them,  in  the  moft  kind  and 
tender  manner.     Such  an  aftoniihingly  kind,  tender  and 
forgiving  friend  had  they.     And  with  tranfports  of  joy 
may  every  one  of  his  true  difciples  fiy.  This  is  7?jy  beloved, 
and  this  is  ;?/y  friend. 

14.     Chrift  is  the  moft  wife,  kind  and  able  phyficiaoj 
tQ  heal  and  cure  all  his  friends  of  the  diforders  and  dif- 

cafes 


loo  THE    FRIENDSHIP    BETWEEN.  SeRM.    Vt, 

cafes  that  attend  them.  Such  a  friend  they  want,  and 
ho  other  could  anfwer  the  end  of  a  friend  to  them  but 
fuch  an  one.  He  finds  them  in  a  moil  ch'eadful  condir. 
tion,  even  dead  in  trefpafics  and  fnis.  They  are  undone 
and  llain,  havinsj  died  a  moll  fhockinf^lv  dreadful  and 
truly  accurfed  death.  Their  fouls  are  bruifed  and  man^ 
gled  in  the  moft  horrible  manner,  and  torn  all  to  pieces, 
as  it  were,  limb  from  limb.  And  the  devil,  who  has 
had  a  great  hand  in  the  horrible  {laughter,  and  has  the 
power  of  death,  fits  brooding  over  and  watching  his 
prey.  In  this  refpccfc  they  may  be  compared  to  a  dead 
corpfe  of  one  who  has  been  mioft  cruelly  broken  on  the 
rack,  every  joint  being  diflocated,  and  each  bone  broken 
to  pieces,  and  all  the  ^^^\  terribly  bruifed,  and  torn  from 
the  bones  and  iinews..  In  this  Hate  Chrift  finds  them. 
He  difpollefles  the  devil,  and  breathes  into  them  a  degree 
of  life,  and  healing  influence.  He  finds  them  thus  caft  out 
as  in  the  open  field,  and  fpeaks  the  fovereign,  omnipotent 
word,  and  bids  them  live:  and  that  time  is  a  time  of  love. 
The  foul  in  the  exercife  of  this  new  life  cleaves  to  Chrift 
as  its  healer  and  hu{l:)and,  and  becomes  his  in  a  covc- 
jiant  of  love  and  friendfliip  which  never  can  be  broken. 
Chrifl  brings  them  into^his  houfe,  and  his  banner  over 
them  is  love.  He  binds  up  their  wounds,  pouring  in  oil 
and  wine ;  and  \yafhes  away  their  blood  from  them.  And 
now  do  theyy?r/?  begin  to  have  a  degree  of  fenfibility, 
and  to  feel  their  dreadful  diforders,  their  wounds,  bruif- 
€s,  and  putrefying  fores..  I'hey  who  are  wholly  dead  in 
trefpalTes  and  lins,  and  under  the  dominion  of  enmity 
againfl  God  and  the  Redeemer,  are  in  this  refpcci:  like  the 
dead  corpfe :  whatever  dreadful  wounds  and  diforders, 
are  upon  them,  they  are  quite  infcnfible  of  the  matter. 
But  as  foon  as  a  degree  of  life  and  refloration  takes  place,, 
there  is  a  proportionable  degree  of  fenfibility  :  they  feel 
their  diforders  and  wounds,  and  the  need  they  fland  in 
of  healing  ;  and  that  they  want  a  phyfician  infinitely  dif- 
tinguiflied  from  any  mere  creature  in  wifdom,  power 
and  goodnefs ;  who  has  a  remedy  which  np  other  has. 
or  can  have.     They  fee  Chrill  to  be  fuch  a  phylician. 

They 


SeRM.    VL  CHRIST    AND    BKL.IEVr.R<^.  JOl 

They  immediately- fay,  "There  is  bahn  in  Gilea^.1,  there 
is  a  phylician  there,  exactly  fuited  to  my  cafe."-  And 
into  his  hand  they  commit  tlieir  difordered  fouis,  def- 
pairing  of  a  cure,  unkfs  \ATought  by  his  mod  (kilful, 
tender  hand.  Chrift,  as  their  moft  fiithful  and  kind 
friend,  undertakes  for  them.  He  faitlifully  and  con- 
flantly  attends  to  their  cafe ;  fearchcs  every  wound  to 
the  bottom,  and  applies  the  befc  remedy,  and  that  in 
the  wifeft  manner,  and  in  the  boil  and  mod  feafonable 
tiniQ  ;  fo  that  the  cure  in  the  end  may  be  moft:  complete 
and  perfect,  not  leaving  fpot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  fucli 
thing,  and  attended  v/ith  the  moft  advantageous  confe- 
quences.  And  he  wiii  never  leave  them  till  he  has  com- 
pleted it,  He  could  indeed  cure  them  perfeftly,  all  at 
once,  -at  a  word's  fpeaking,  as  he  did  many  bodily  dif. 
cafes  when  he  was  on  earth,  and  not  ro  into  fuch  a  lono* 
procefs,  and  continued  courfe  of  applications,  under 
which  the  patient  is  often  put  to  much  pain,  and  feems  to 
liimfeif  togrow  worfe,  rather  than  better,  andfometimes 
is  ready  ta:  defpair  of  a  cure,  and  fay,  "  All  thefe  things 
are  as-ainft  me.'*  But  he  takes  the  latter  and  not  the 
former  method,  becaufe  that,  on  the  whole,  it  is  fiir  the 
wifeft  and  beft  •,  the  cure  is  much  more  perfect  and  glo- 
rious in  the  end,  and  attended  with  confequences  un- 
fpeakably  more  happy  for  the  fabjc6ts  of  it.  Kow  Iiap- 
py  then  are  the  friends  of  Chrift  in  this  refpeft !  They 
are  connected  with,  and  united  to,  a  friend,  who  is  a 
moft  fkilful  and  kind  phyucian,  and  has  furniftied  hin:.- 
feif  with  every  remedy  that  is  needed,  to  heal  and  cure 
them,  under  their  lingular,  and  otherwife  defperate,  dif- 
orders.  And  he  is  iniinitely- engaged  in  the  beft  man- 
ner to  effect  the-  moft  complete,  happy  and  glorious 
cure,  and  that  without  money  and  Vv'ithout  price.  He 
is  the  L'Ord,  that  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  people, 
and  healeth  the  ftroke  of  their  wound.  O  Chriftian, 
This  is  thy  beloved,  and  this  is  thy  friend  ! 

15.  Chrift  is  a  friend  who  is  infinitely  happy,  is 
independent  and  felf  fafticient,  and  has  the  higheft  ho- 
nours in  the  univerfe  put  upon  him.. 

lliii 


2  02  THB    FRIENDSHI?   BETWEEN         Sep.M.    YJ, 

This  is  an  unfpeakable  advantage  in  this  friendfhip, 
and  renders  it  immenlely  more  fweet  and  happy  to  the 
friends  of  Chrifl  than  it  coUld  otherwife  be.  If  our 
friend  is  in  a  flat€  of  calamity  and  fuffering,  in  any 
refpecl  and  degree,  or  is  expofed  to  calamity  and  evil, 
it  of  courfe  becomes  our  calamity,  and  we  neceffarlly 
fhare  in  the  ■evil  with  him,  in  a  degree  proportionable  to 
our  benevolence  and  friendfhip.  This  renders  friend- 
Clip  very  unhappy  in  many  inftances  in  this  world,  be- 
caufe  the  beloved  perfon  is  very  unhappv.  For  true 
benevolence  to  our  friend  is  crolTed  by  every  degree  of 
evil  that  he  fuffers,  and  dcfn-es  he  may  have  all  the  ho- 
nour and  happinefs  he  is  capable  of;  and  therefore  cannot 
be  perfectly  fatisfied  and  pleafed  with  any  thing  fliort 
of  this.  And  if  our  friend  is  as  much  honoured 
and  as  happy  as  we  can  imagine  and  defire,  this  will 
give  us  an  enjoyment,  and  render  the  friendfhiip  fweet 
and  happy,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  to  which  it  rifcs 
and  is  exercifed.  For,  as  we  neceflarily  dare  in  the 
evil  that  our  friend  fufFers,  fo  we  do  in  his  happinefs. 
There  is  therefore  the  bell  foundation  laid  for  happinefs. 
in  this  friendfhip,  that  in  the  nature  of  things  can  be, 
whereby  our  love  and  benevolence  to  Chrill  is  gratified, 
and  pleafed  to  the  higheft  poflible  degree. 

Chrift  has  indeed  been  fubjefted  to  a  flate  of  calami-. 
ty  and  fuffering  ;  he  has  fuffered  difgrace  and  pain  to 
the  mofl  amazing  degree,  and  that  for  his  friends  :  but 
he  has,  on  the  whole,  lofl  nothing  by  it.  If  he  had, 
this  would  have  been  an  undefirable  circumflance, 
which  could  not  pollibly  be  removed,  but  mufl  have 
been  an  alloy  to  this  friendfhip,  and  a  fource  of  uneafi- 
nefs  to  the  friends  of  Chrift,  forever.  For  it  will  necef- 
farily  give  pain  to  any  one  who  has  entered  into  true 
friendfhip  with  another,  to  have  his  friend  a  lofer  in 
any  refpeft,  efpecially  to  have  him  in  the  leaft  degree  a 
lofer  on  his  account.  He  cannot  bear  to  think  of  be- 
ing an  injury  or  difadvantage  to  his  friend  in  any  re- 
aped, and  that,  on  the  whole,  he  fhould  be  a  lofer  by 
jbijnj  and' it  is  as  impofhble  to  reconcile  true  love  and 

friend  iiiip 


Serm.  VI.         CHRIST  And  believers.  103 

fiiendfliip  to  this,  as  to  unite  the  oppoiite  parts  of  a  con- 
tradidion.  But  what  Chrift  has  fuftered  for  his  pcopler 
is,  in  this  refped,  no  difadvantage  to  this  friendfhip ; 
for,  as  has  been  juft  now  obferved,  he  has  on  the  whole 
ioft  nothing  by  it,  but  has  been  an  infinite  gainer. 
His  humiliation  and  fufFerings,  even  unto  death,  have 
been  the  occafion  of  his  greater  happinefs,  and  high 
exaltation.  By  this  means,  and  in  this  way,  he  has 
been  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladnefs  above  his  fel- 
lows, and  been  made  to  drink  of  the  river  of  God's 
pleatiires  :  and  this  has  been  the  occafion  of  his  being 
made  king  of  Zion,  and  raifed  to  the  throne  of  the 
univerfe,  invefted  with  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,  as  the  fole  ruler  in  God's  moral  kingdom,  and 
final  judge  of  all.  Becaufe  he  thus  humbled  himfelf,  and 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  crofs, 
therefore  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him 
a  name  which  is  above  every  name.  He  is  richly  re- 
warded, more  than  ten  thoufand  fold,  for  all  he  expend- 
ed and  iuffered  for  the  redem.ption  of  his  people,  and 
their  redemption  and  lalvation  is  the  occafion  of  a  high 
degree  of  happinefs  and  honour,  which  he  could  have 
obtained  no  other  way* 

This  does  not  indeed  leffcn  their  obligations  to  him, 
for  what  he  has  done  and  fujffered  for  them,  in  the  leaft 
imaginable  degree  ;  for  they  are  every  way  as  great  as 
if  he  had  been  an  infinite  lofer  by  the  means.  But  this 
is  fuited  to  gratify  and  pleafe  his  benevolent  friends  to 
the  highefl  degree,  and  add  a  fweetnefs  and  joy  to  their 
friendfhip,  inexpreffible.  The  language  of  their  friend- 
ly, benevolent  hearts  is,  ''  Let  him  be  mod  blelTed  for- 
ever :  let  him  be  exalted  in  the  glory  of  his  falvation, 
and  have  all  the  honours  of  the  univerfe  given  to  him.'* 
And  when  they  fee  him  exalted,  honoured  and  blelfed, 
as  heir  of  the  whole  univerfe,  and  independent  Lord  and 
poffelTor  of  all  things  ;  and  that  this  is  the  confequence 
and  reward  of  what  he  has  done  for  the  redemption  of 
finners,  with  what  unbounded  joy  mufi;  their  hearts  ex- 
pand 1  while,  with  the  moil  fweet,  ineffable  delight,  they 

join 


io4  TrtE    FRIZ}s^£)SHil»    13ET\ViiI;f^  SeRM.    Vt. 

join  their  lieai'ty  Amen,  and  fay,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  flain,  was  dead  and  is  aHve,  and  livcth  forever 
more,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wifdom,  and 
iirengtlt,  and  lionour,  and  glory,  and  blefling*  To  him 
be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen  !  '*  This 
circumltance  greatly  adds  to  the  happinefs  of  this  friend- 
lliip,  and  fpeads  ineffable  fweetnefs  through  the  foul  of 
the  true  Chriftian,  when  he  is  able  to  fay,  "  This  is  m.y 
beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend." 

1 6.  All  that  CHrift  requires  of  his  friends  is,  to  acl 
the  part  of  friends  to  him,  and  to  maintain,  cultivate 
and  improve  this  friendfliip  between  him  and  them. 

This  greatly  recornmcnds  him  as  a  friend^  and  is  a  hap- 
py circumftance  of  this  friendfliip  between  him  and  his 
people.  His  condefceniion,  love  and  goodnefs  to  his 
friends,  and  the  intimacy  and  unreferved  familiarity  to 
which  he  admits  them,  have  been  already  particularly 
confidercd.  He  does  not  take  flate  on  himfelf  fo  as  hx 
anv  desrree  to  keep  them  at  adiftance  ;  nor  does  heim^ 
pofe  heavy  burdens  on  them,  and  fubjeft  them  to  hard, 
llavidi  fervicc,  as  the  mafter  does  his  fervants,  in  order 
to  their  enjoying  his  favour  and  friendfliip.  No  ;  he 
docs  not  call  them  fervants,  nor  in  any  refpecl  treat  them 
as  fuch  ;  but  he  calls  thsm  Friends,  and  treats  them  ac- 
cording to  this  mOil  dear,  foft  and  tencier  name.  AikX 
rJl  he  expects  and  requires  of  them  is,  that  they  cleave  to 
him  as  their  friend,  and  as  becomes  his  true  friends,  and 
in  all  refpecls  aft  up  to  this  moft  endeared  and  exalted 
characler.  In  this  regard  the  law  of  Chriil  is  nothing 
but  a  lav/  of  love  and  friendfhip,  as  nothing  c\^t  is  re- 
quired ;  it  is  therefore  called  the  perfect  law  of  liberty. 
All  that  Chrift  requires  of  his  friends  is,  that  they  return 
love  for  love  ;  that  they  receive  and  cleave  to  him  in  ali 
proper  ways,  as  their  Almighty,  infinitely  excellent,  kind, 
bountiful  and  benevolent  friend  ;  that  they  conilantly 
look  to  him,  and  trufl  in  him,  as  fuch,  for  all  they  want ; 
relying  wholly  on  his  friendfliip  and  goodnefs,  and  be- 
ing heartily  willing,  with  all  thankfulnefs,  delight  and 
joy,  to  be  wholly  and  infinitely  ijidcbtcd  to  him  for  al! 

things, 


SjSRM.    VI.  CHUIST    AND    BELIEVERS.  lO^ 

things,  as  being  in  thennifelves  nothing  but  emptinefs, 
infuSiciency,  wretchcdnefs,  guilt  and  deformity  ;  hear- 
tily acquiefcing  in  it  that  he  iliould  do  the  office  of  fuch 
a  friend  to  them  ;  that  they  heartily  love,  efteem,  ho- 
nour and  rejoice  in  him,  in  this  character  ;  live  a  life  of 
nearnefs  and  intimacy  with  him,  and  follow  him  where- 
foever  he  goes  ;  and  do  all  thofe  acts  of  love  and  kind- 
nefs  to  him  that  become  his  friends,  and  by  which  they 
may  properly  exprefs  and  difcover  their  true  and  fuper- 
lative  love  and  friendfiiip  to  him.  Thus  he  tells  his  dif- 
ciples  that  he  required  nothing  of  them  but  that  in 
which  they  might  exprefs  and  evidence  their  friendfliip 
to  him.  "  Ye  are  my  friends,**  fays  he,  "  if  ye  do  what- 
foevcr  I  command  you." 

What  a  fwcet  and  delightful  work  then  are  all  the 
friends  of  Chrift  called  to !  viz.  to  love  the  mod  excel- 
lent, worthy,  dear  and  kind  friend,  and  cultivate  the 
greateft  intimacy  and  moft  fweet  friendiliip  with  him. 
In  one  word,  he  only  requires  them  to  be  happy  in  him, 
in  the  neareft  and  higheft  enjoyment  of  him  as  their 
friend,  in  the  exercife  and  gratification  of  an  inclina- 
tion and  affection,  which  ffives  the  moft  ravifliin2:lv  fweet 
and  delightful  enjoyment  that  in  nature  can  be.  Surely 
all  the  friends  of  Chrift  may  fay  from  their  own  experi- 
ence, "  His  yoke  is  eafy^  and  his  burden  light.  His  com- 
mandments are  not  grievous,  but  perfectly  delightful  ; 
and  in  keeping  them  there  is  a  great  reward.  The  ways 
of  wifdom  are  pleafantnefs,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace. 
We  have  rejoiced  in  the  way  of  thy  teftimonies,  as  much 
as  in  all  riches."  And  now,  O  Chriftian,  what  does  the 
Lord,  thy  all-fufficient  friend  and  Redeemer,  require  of 
thee,  but  to  fay,  with  joy  unfpeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend^  and  live  an- 
fwerable  to  fuch  a  high  profeilion  and  character  ? 

17.  Another  advantage  and  peculiar  happinefs  of  this 
friendihip  is,  that  the  friends  of  Chrift  havejuft  as  m.uch 
evidence  that  He  is  their  friend,  as  they  have  that  they 
are  friends  to  him  \  and  this  evidence  rifes,  and  is  clear, 
in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  exercife  of  Iwve  and 
friendihip  to  hiih.  p  y 


fc6  Tfl-r  FRIENDSHIP    BET^IHTN  S'eRM.    VT, 

It  has  been  obferved,  that  it  is  effential  to  true  love  and 
friendfhip  for  any  one  to  defire  to  be  tlie  object  ot  his 
love,  and  to  have  him  his  friend,  on  whom  he  has  fet  his 
affe<5Lions.  And  the  more  fincere  and  ilrong  our  friend- 
ly affection  and  love  tO'  another  is,  the  more  do  we  delire 
to  be  the  objects  of  his  love  and  friendihip ;  and  the 
greater  uneafmefe  and  pain  will  attend  fufpicions  of  his 
love  to  us.  As  it  is  the  fwecteft,  liappiell  thing  in  the 
world,  even  the  higheft  enjoyment  we  can  imagine,  to 
be  beloved,  efpecially  by  thofe  for  whom  we  have  an 
high  efteem,  and  a  ftrong  and  moft  friendly  aifeclion  ; 
fo,  perhaps,  nothing  is  more  difagreeable,  or  will  give  a 
more  fenlible,  cutting  pain,  than  to  fmd  ourfelves  neglect-, 
ed  and  quite  caft  off  by  fuch.  And  this  is  eminently  true 
in  the  cafe  before  us.  True  friendiliip  to  Chrift  does 
render  it  above  all  things  defirable  to  him  thixt  exercifes 
it,  to  be  the  object  of  Chrift's  love  and  favour.  And  to 
be  caft  off  by  him,  and  be  the  object  of  his  difpleafurc 
and  wrath,  is  to  fuch-  an  one,  above  any  thing  elfe,  unde- 
iirable  and  dreadful.  In  this  cafe,  above  any  other, 
"  Love  is  ftrong  as  death,  jealoufy  is  cruel  as  the  grave  : 
the  coals  thereof  are  coals  of  fire,  even  a  moft  vehement 
flame.'' 

This  has  often  proved  a  great  unhappinefs  in  human: 
love  and  friendfliip,  efpecially  that  which  takes  place  be- 
tween the"  fexcs.  Many  a  one  has  been  moft  cruelly  tor=» 
tured  and  undone  by  this.  They  have  had  a  vehement 
affection  and  love  for  another,  while  they  liave  found 
themielves  not  beloved,  but  flighted  and  defpifcd :  this 
has  proved  to  them  an  infupportabie  burden,  ipread 
darknefs  over  all  things  under  the  fun,  rendered  them 
incapable  of  enjoying  any  thing,  and  made  them  weary 
of  their  own  life  j  and  has  often  put  an  end  to  it  by  a 
lingering,  cruel  death. 

But  the  friends  of  Chrift  are  in  this  refpect  moft  hap- 
py. They  can  no  further  doubt  of  his  love  to  them, 
than  they  queftion  their  own  love  and  friendihip  to  him* 
If  they  love  him,  and  are  his  true  friends,  he  is  cer- 
tainly their  friend.     Yea,  if  they  lo^'e  him  in  fmcerity,: 

.       thouffh' 


Sf.RM.    VI.  CHRIST    AND    BELIEVERS.  I07 

though  in  never  fo  imperfecl  and  low  a  degree,  they 
are  the  objects  of  his  love,  and  a  fricndfliip  is  begun  be- 
tween Chrift  and  them  which  will  continue  forever. 
For  this  Chrift  has  given  his  word  to  all  his  friends. 
He  has  faid,  "  I  love  them  that  love  me ;  and  he  that 
ioveth  me,  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifeft  myfelf  unto 
him.  And  him  that  cometh  to  me,  1  will  in  no  wife 
caft  out." 

We  want  nothing  then,  in  order  to  be  afTured  that 
Chrift  loves  us  with  a  ftrong  and  €verlafting  love,  and 
is  our  unchangeable  friend,  but  to  know  that  we  love 
him  :  or,  in  other  words,  we  may  be  certain  that 
Chrift  loves  us,  fo  far  as  w€  have  good  evidence  that 
we  iincerely  delire  and  prize  his  love  and  friendfiiip. 
And  our  evidence  of  this  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  de- 
gree of  our  love  to  him,  or  the  ftrength  and  conftancy 
of  our  aifeclion  and  friendfhip.  This  is  true  in  all  in- 
-ftances  of  love  and  affection  to  any  friend  ;  the  evidence 
that  we  do  love  them,  and  are  their  friends,  will  be  in 
proportion  to  the  degree  and  conftancy  of  the  exercife 
of  our  love  and  friendftiip  to  them,  and  the  expreflion 
of  it  in  all  proper  ways.  This  love  always  evidences  it-p 
felf,  and  is  attended  with  a  confcioufnefs  that  it  does  ex- 
ift  in  our  hearts,  in  proportion  to  the  ftrength  and  con^ 
ftancy  of  its  exercife  ;  and  we  may  love  a  friend  to  fuch 
a  degree,  as  to  remove  all  doubt,  yea,  render  us  abfo^ 
luteiy  affured  that  Vv-e  do  love  him. 

So  it  is  in  this  cafe  ;  if  we  doubt  whether  we  are  true 
friends  of  Jefus  Chrift,  it  muft  be  becaufe  we  are  not  fo, 
or  are  fo  in  a  very  weak  and  low  degree,  and  with  great 
inconftancy,  and  there  is  much  in  our  hearts  and  actions 
directly  contrary  to  love  and  friendftiip.  And  as  this 
love  rifes,  and  becomes  more  and  more  a  conftant,  vigo- 
rous exercife  and  flame  in  the  heart,  the  Chriftian  will 
have  higher  evicience  and  greater  confidence  that  he  is  a 
friend  to  Chrift  ;  and  confequently  that  Chrift  is  hi*; 
friend.  And  nothing  is  wanting  but  a  conftant,  vigorous 
exercife  of  this  love,  in  order  to  a  conftant  confciouihefs 

an4 


2  08  THE    FRIENDSHIP   BETWEEN  SeRM.    VI. 

and  prevailing  aflurance  that  this  glorious  perfon  is  our 
beloved,  and  confequently  that  he  loves  us,  and  is  our 
friend. 

Thus  we  fee  how  happy  this  friendfhip  is  in  this  re- 
fped,  by  which  it  is  diilinguilhed  from  all  other  friend- 
iliips  whatfoever.  Full  provifion  is  made  for  the  gra- 
tification of  love  to  Chrift  in  ail  refpects.  In  proportion 
as  the  Chriftian  loves  Chrift,  he  enjoys  him,  and  his  love 
and  friendfhip  is  gratified  and  pleafed,  in  a  fenfe  and  evi- 
dence of  Chrift's  love  to  him.  So  far  as  he  prizes  Chrift's 
love,  and  really  defires  to  have  him  his  friend,  from 
true  love  to  him,  and  has  a  fenfe  and  evidence  that  he 
does  love  him,  juft  fo  far  he  has  a  fenfe  and  evidence 
that  Chrift  actually  is  his  friend,  and  does  love  him  ;  fo 
that  this  defire  is  gratified  and  anfwered,  and  turned  in- 
to a  degree  of  fweet  enjoyment,  in  proportion  to  the 
ftrength  and  conftancy  of  it.  When  the  Chriftian  there- 
fore can  with  confidence  fay,  "  This  is  my  beloved,"  he 
may  with  equal  affurance  add,  "  This  is  my  friend.** 
For  thefe  God  has  joined  together :  and  nothing,  nei- 
ther  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things 
prefent,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  fliall  be  ever  able  to  feparate  them. 

1 8.  This  friendfhip  between  Chrift  and  the  believer 
will  reconcile  men  to  death,  and  fupport  and  comfort 
them  under  the  death  of  others,  their  Chriftian  friends. 

It  tends  to  make  death  defirable  and  fv/eet.  Friends 
have  been  fo  united  in  this  world,  and  had  fuch  a  love 
for  each  other,  that  if  one  muft  die,  the  other  would 
choofe  to  die  with  him  ;  and  fo  the  death  of  one  has 
made  death  defirable  to  the  other.  But  the  friendfliip 
of  which  I  am  fpeaking  has  a  much  more  powerful  in- 
fluence this  way,  in  many  refpects.  When  a  friend  to 
Chrift,  with  his  heart  full  of  love  to  him,  looks  into  the 
<rrave,  and  confiders  tliat  there  his  deareft  Lord  and 
friend  once  lay,  this  will  fweeten  the  grave  to  hmi,  and 
make  the  thought  of  laying  his  head  in  the  duft  plea- 
fimt,  and  he  will  be  ready  to  fay,  with  one  of  his  friends 
of  old,  "Let  me  die  v/ith  him.'*     Befides,  friendlliip  to 

Chiift 


SeRM.     VI.  CHRIST    AND    B£LIEV£RS.  I09 

Chrift  reconciles  to  death,  and  renders  it  defirablc,  and 
the  thought  of  it  fweet,  as  it  is  the  only  way  to  the  full 
enjoyment  of  Chrift,  and  a  dwelling  with  him  in  his 
holy  and  glorious  kingdom.  The  friend  of  Chrill 
longs  to  be  delivered  from  ail  contrariety  to  him,  as 
what  is  moft  odious,  and  the  greateft  burden,  and  to 
get  rid  of  all  ignorance,  and  coldnefs,  and  indifference, 
towards  him,  and  be  turned  into  a  perfect,  pure  flame 
oi:  love  to  him  ;  to  dwell  in  his  prefence,  and  honour, 
praife  and  ferve  him  day  and  night :  and  when  he  fees 
death  to  be  the  only  way  to  this,  he  is  not  only  reconcil- 
ed to  it,  but  is  ready  to  long  for  it.  And  when  he 
fees  that  his  Almighty  Friend  has  conquered  death,  and 
taken  away  the  fting  of  it,  with  what  courage  and  joy 
can  he  look  it  in  the  face  5  while  Math  him  who  was  one 
of  Chrift's  great  friends  on  earth  feventeen  hundred 
years  ago,  and  is  now  with  him  in  heaven,  he  dcfires  to 
depart  and  be  with  Chrift,  which  to  him  is  far  the 
beft  of  any  thing  he  can  conceive  of  or  wifli  for. 

Again,  this  friendfliip  with  Chrift  gives  the  beft  fup- 
port  under  the  death  of  dear  Chriftian  friends,  and  lays 
a  foundation  even  for  comfort  in  it.  Herein  it  has  the 
advantage  of  all  other  friendftiips.  The  more  ftrongly 
they  take  place,  the  more  is  death  dreaded;  becaufe  this 
puts  an  utter  end  to  the  friendfliip,  and  cuts  off  all  hopes 
of  ever  feeing  and  enjoying  one  another  again.  It  is  iii^ 
this  view  that  St.  Paul  fpeaks  of  the  forrow  and  mourn- 
ing of  thofe  that  were  no  Chriftians,  on  the  death  of 
their  dear  friends,  as  thofe  who  have  no  hope.  They  arc 
left  quite  difconfolate  on  the  death  of  their  friends,  be- 
caufe they  have  no  hope  of  ever  feeing  and  enjoying 
them  again.  But  Chriftians  have  no  reafon  to  mourn 
fo.  They  may  part  with  each  other  here  with  high 
hopes  and  full  affurance  of  meeting  again  in  a  iliort  time, 
and  enjoying  each  other,  to  a  much  higher  degree,  and 
in  a  better  manner,  than  ever  they  did  before,  in  the 
prefence  of  Chrift,  in  his  glorious  kingdom. 

When  our  dear  Chriftian  friends  are  torn  from  our 
fond   embraces,  and  we   are  deprived  of  tlieir  fweet 

company. 


310  THE    FRIENDSHIP    BETWEEK  SEiIM.    IV* 

ccmpsny,  and  know  wc  ihall  fee  them  no  more  on 
earth  ;  the  more  we  love  Chrift,  and  the  greater  is  our 
'benevolence  to  them,  the  more  comfort  and  joy  fhall 
we  have  in  the  thought,  that  they  have  ceafed  from  hn, 
yea,  from  all  their  labmirs  and  troubles,  and  are  gone  to 
be  with  Chrift,  our  great  and  common  friend,  and  en- 
joy the  benefits  of -this  friendlhip  to  an  immenfely  high- 
er degree  tlian  v/e  can  here  ;  that  they  will  foon  be  re- 
rtored  to  us,  with  great  advantasfe,  and  we  fliall  fee 
them  in  Chrift's  kingdom,  unfpeakably  more  loving  and 
lovely  than  they  were  here  ;  and,  in  a  much  mare  no- 
He  and  perfect  friendfhip,  fliall  reap  the  happy  confe- 
quence,  and  all  the  advantages,  of  our  acquaintance  and 
triendftiip  here,  and  be  forever  with  the  Lord,  our 
glorious  Friend  and  Redeemer.  Surely  Chriftians  may 
well,  under  the  lofs  of  their  deareft  friends,  comfort  one 
another  with  thefe  wordi. 

19.  Chrift  will  bring  his  friends  to  the  neareft  en- 
joyment of  himfelf,  and  communion  with  him,  where 
they  fliall  tafte  the  growing  fweets  of  his  love  and 
£riendfliip  forever. 

This  is  one  peculiar  excellency  and  privilege  of  this 
friendfhip,  and  what  crowns  all,  that,  with  all  its  fupe- 
rior  excellence  and  fweetnefs,  and  with  every  other  ad- 
vantage, and  defirable  circumftance,  it  will  never  come 
to  an  end,  but  will  continue,  flourifii  an-d  increafe  for- 
ever. The  many  and  great  difad vantages  and  imper- 
feftions  that  attend  it  in  this  ftate  fliall  foon  wholly 
<:eafe  ;  and  every  thing  defirable,  and  that  can  poflibly 
advance  it,  in  any  refpecfc  and  degree,  fliall  take  place, 
and  that  unfpeakably  beyond  the  higheft  flights  of  the 
warmeft  and  brighteft  imagination.  This  has  been  re- 
peatedly brought  into  view,  and  in  feveral  particulars 
that  have  been  mentioned ;  but  it  is  fo  important  an 
article  of  this  friendfhip,  that  it  Icems  to  deferve  our 
more  particular  attention. 

This  fricndfliip  is  in  this  world  very  fweet,  and  ex- 
t^eds  all  others,  both  in  its  excellency  and  in  the  en- 
joyment it  gives.     But  this  is  but  a  low  beginning  of 

fomething 


SfiRM.    V2.  CHP.IST    A>TD    BELIEVERS.    ''  III 

foiTiething  immenfely  more  exalted  and  happy  ;  and  is 
is  only  preparatory  to  that  which  £hall  be  moft  perfect 
and  everlaiting.  This  friendihip  is  exceeding  imperfect 
in  this  ftate,  has  many  interruptions  and  hindrances,, 
and  is  attended  with  numerous  inconveniences,  which 
ottcn  occalion  great  pain  and  diftrefs,  w^hich  is  peculiar 
to  the  friends  of  Chrift,  and  is  many  times  very  keen^ 
and  even  overv/helming.  Their  remaining  degrees  of 
unfriendlinei's  and  oppofition  of  heart  to  Chrift,  their 
blindnefk,  ftupidity,  ingratitude  ;  their  great  degree  of 
alienation  from  Chrift,  their  mifruitfulnefs,  and  the  ill) 
returns  they  make  to  him,  and  their  want  of  a  fenfe  of 
his  love  and  favour,  are  a  moft  heavy  burden  to  them, 
under  which  they  often  go  mourning  all  the  day  lonp-. 
For  thefe  things  their  fouls  are  bowed  down,  and  greatly 
difquieted  within  them.  And  their  love  to  Chrill,  and- 
concern  for  his  intereft  in  the  world,  is  often  the  occa- 
fion  of  great  concern  and  trouble,  while  they  live  in: 
luch  a  wicked  world  as  this,  in  the  midft  of  a  crooked 
and  perverfe  generation,  where  there  are  fo  many- 
enemies  to  Chrifl,  and  his  caufe  is  in  fo  many  ways  op- 
pofed  and  run  down.  Thefe  things  often  caufe  them  to- 
hang  their  harps  on  the  willows,  in  this  flrange  land,, 
and  to  lit  down  and  weep  when  they  remember  Zion, 
and  the  intereft  of  their  Friend  and  Redeemer ;  and 
livers  of  water  run  down  their  eyes,  becaufe  men  keep 
not  his  law,  but  diflionour  him.  And  the  higher  their 
Jove  and  friendihip  to  Chriil  rifes,  the  more  affecting 
and  painful  will  thefe  things  be  to  them  ;  like  the  dear 
friends  of  Chrifl,  the  holy  women  who  followed  him 
weeping,  when  he  went  to  the  erofs,  furrounded  by- 
an  infulting  crowd  of  cruel  enemies.  Their  love  to 
Chrift,  their  deareft  friend,  filled  their  hearts  with  the 
keeneff  twinges  of  the  mcfl  cutting  pain,  which,  as  Jt 
dreadful  fvvord,  pierced  their  fouls  through  and  through. 
But  it  is  wifely  and  kindly  ordered  that  this  friend- 
ihip fhould  begin  in  fuch  a  flatc  as  this,  and  in  thefe  cir- 
curaftances  ;  and  this  will  all  turn  to  its  great  advantage 
in  the  ilTae,  and  prepare  the  \v3.j  for  a  higher  enjoy- 

mcat 


112  THE    FRIENDSHIP  BET^'SEN  SeRM.  VT. 

ment  than  if  they  had  never  taken  place.  Chrift,  their 
great  friend  and  patron,  fuperintends,  and  is  in  this 
way  difcipHning  them,  and  in  the  beft  manner  training 
them  up  for  the  near  enjoyment  of  him  in  the  molt 
perfect  ilate  of  friendfhip  and  happinefs.  They  are 
efpoufed  to  him,  though  they  are  in  an  enemy's  coun- 
try ;  and  he  is  preparing  them  for  the  happy  nuptials, 
when  they  Ihall  be  brought  into  his  prefence,  and  kind 
embraces,  never  to  part  again.  And  all  their  pain  and 
ibrrow  in  this  world,  which  they  have  fuffered  on  his 
account,  and  all  they  have  done  and  fuffered  for  him, 
fhall  in  the  end  ferve  to  increafe  their  enjoyment  and 
happinefs,  and  be  richly  rewarded  by  him. 

lie  has  delired  and  prayed  that  they  ail  may  be  where 
he  is,  that  they  may  behold  his  glory,  and  enjoy  him  to 
tlie  beil  advaDtaa;e,  and  in  the  hizheft  decree  i  and  he 
will  never  reft  till  he  has  brought  them  to  this.  He 
will  bring  them  to  Ciare  in  his  own  honours  and  hap- 
pinefs, as  fully  as  their  enlarged  capacities  will  admit. 
He  will  feat  them  at  his  own  right  hand  ;  yea,  they  fhall 
fit  down  with  him  on  his  throne,  and  reign  jointly  with 
him,  as  the  queen  fliares  in  the  dignity  and  honours  of 
the  prince  her  hufband.  They  fliall  drink  with  him  of 
the  river  of  his  pleafures,  and  enjoy  all  that  he  has, 
even  the  whole  of  his  boundlefs  riches  and  moft  exten- 
live  kingdom.  He  will  bring  forth  all  his  hidden  trea- 
fures  for  them,  and  open  his  heart  to  them  in  the  fulleft 
manner  and  without  any  referve.  He  will  make  them 
perfectly  like  himfelf,  and  put  his  own  beauty  and  glory 
upon  them,  and  bring  them  to  a  high  and  perfect  relifh 
for  his  beauty,  and  put  them,  in  all  refpeds,  and  every 
way,  under  the  beft  advantage  to  love  and  enjoy  him 
forever.  This  flial)  perfect  this  friendlhip,  which  will 
be  increaling  in  unknown,  inconceivable  heights  for- 
ever and  ever.  il; 

Thus  they  Ihall  be  iatisfied,  perfectly  fatisfied,  and 
inconceivably  happy,  when  they  ftiall  awake  in  his  like- 
nefs,  and  ftand  complete  before  him,  the  beloved  of 
th^*  ipu|g,  in  whofe  prefence  is  fulnefs  of  joy,  and  at 

whofe 


SeRM.      VI.  CHRIST    AND    BELIEVERS.  Jt^ 

wlibfe  right  hand  are  pleafures  forever  more.  Then  it 
will  be  faid  concerning  every  one  of  the  true  friends  of 
Chrift,  "  Thcfe  are  they  which  came  but  of  great  tribu- 
lation, and  have  wafhed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they 
before  the  throne  of  God,  and  ferve  him  day  and  night 
in  his  temple :  and  He  that  fitteth  on  the  throne  fhall 
dwell  among  them.  They  Ihall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirft  any  more,  neither  fhall  the  fun  light  on  them,  nor 
any  heat.  For  the  Lamb,  which  is  in  the  midft  of  the 
throne,  Ihall  feed  them,  and  fhall  lead  them  unto  living 
fountains  of  waters  :  and  God  fhall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes.'*  Then  fliall  Chrift  appear,  in  all  his 
fulnefs  and  glory,  as  the  head  of  his  church,  and,  in  the 
higheft  and  moft  emphatical  fcnfe,  fay,  "  I  am  come  in- 
to my  garden,  my  iifterj  my  fpoufe.  Eat,  O  friends, 
drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly.'*  Then  the  angels  will 
tune  their  notes  higher  than  ever,  and  fay,  with  a  voice 
like  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of 
mighty  thunderings,  "  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and 
give  honour  to  Him.,  the  glorious  friend  and  bridegroom 
of  the  redeemed  ;  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come, 
and  his  wife  hath  made  herfelf  ready.** 

The  friends  of  Chrift  now  little  think  what  they  are 
coming  to,  and  what  will  be  the  iffue  of  thefe  exercifes 
they  now  have.  They  have  already  feCn  and  enjoyed 
what  others  never  have ;  for  Chrift  in  his  fuperlative 
glory  and  excellence  has  been  manifefted  unto  them : 
but  they  ihall  fee  greater  things  than  thefe.  And  the 
words  which  Chrift  fpoke  to  one  of  his  difciples  when 
he  was  on  earth,  are  applicable  to  all  of  them  :  "  What 
I  do  thou  knoweft  not  now,  but  thou  fliall  know  here- 
after.'* "  Beloved,  now  we  are  the  fons  of  God,  the 
friends  of  Chrift  ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
fhall  be :  but  we  know  that,  when  he  fhall  appear,  we 
fhall  be  like  him  j  for  we  fhall  fee  him  as  he  is." 

SERMON 


Sermon  vii. 


On  Chriftian  Friendihip. 


Cant.  V.  1 6.     This  is  my  beloved^  and  this  is  my  friend* 

Application. 

I.  ^TPHIS  iubjecl  as  it  has  been  confidered  affords  great 
i  evidence  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  Chriftianity, 
and  of  ail  the  great  and  leading  doctrines  ;  and  at  the 
fame  time  Ihows  how  the  Chriftian,  though  not  learned, 
or  of  great  natural  capacity,  is  affured  that  it  is  a  revela- 
tion from  the  only  true  God,  and  v^^ll  give  eternal  life 
and  happinefs  to  all  who  cordially  embrace  it. 

If  the  gofpel  is  formed  and  fuited  to  give  thofe  who 
embrace  it  the  higheft  and  moft  refined  and  noble  enjoy- 
ment, which  is  the  beginning  of  moft  complete  and 
endlefs  happinefs  ;  if,  fo  far  as  it  has  its  proper  and 
genuine  influence  on  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  it 
Ipreads  happinefs  through  fociety,  and  forms  all  to  a 
happy  union,  by  which  they  promote,  enjoy  and  rejoice 
in  the  welfare  of  each  other ;  and  brings  them  into  a 
friendfiiip,  which  is  in  the  nature  of  it  perfeft,  having 
nothing  undehrable,  and  nothing  wanting  to  render  it 
the  moil  excellent,  noble  and  durable  love  and  friendihip 
that  can  be  imagined  ;  then  it  mufl  be  divine,  a  revela- 
tion from  heaven,  the  produclion  of  Infinite  Wifdom 
andGoodnefs.  But  that  all  this  is  true,  has  been  made 
abudantly  evident,  by  the  very  imperfect  reprefentation 
in  the  preceding  dilcourfes.  And  it  is  fufficiently  fup- 
ported  by  the  fcripture  itfelf,  by  impartial  reafon,  and 
by  abundant  experience, 

This  fcheme  of  friendfhip  and  Jiappinefs  for  man  never 
would  have  been  thought  of  by  any  one  of  the  human 
Vace,  had  it  not  been  revealed  from  heaven.     Hence  it 

is 


SfiRM.    Vn.  APPLICATIOH.  It^ 

is  made  certain  that  no  other  fcheme  of  religion,  but 
that  revealed  in  the  Bible,  is  true,  or  can  make  men  hap- 
py by  embracing  it ;  and  that  all  other  methods  to  ob- 
tain happinefs,  of  which  there  are  many  deviled  by  the 
vi^it  and  learning  of  the  moft  fagacious  among  men,  arc 
mere  delufions,  and  never  wiH  or  can  obtain  it.  For 
when  the  world  by  their  wifdom  knew  not  God,  or  the 
way  to  true  happinefs,  it  pleafed  God,  by  the  foolilhnefs 
of  preaching,  to  lave,  and  make  completely  and  eternally 
happy,  all  them  who  believe. 

But  the  unbeUever  will  fay,  "I  do  not  pretend  to  under- 
ftand  the  fcriptures  ;  but  I  am  certain  that  my  reafon  and 
experience  dictate  tliat  there  is  no  happinefs  in  attend- 
ing to  the  Bible,  but  very  much  the  contrary.  And  the 
fpread  of  Chriftianity  in  the  world  has  been  far  from 
making  mankind  more  happy  than  they  were  without 
it.  It  has  been  the  occalion  of  unfpeakable  calamity. 
And  even  profelTing  Chrifuans,  inftead  of  being  united 
by  it  in  love  and  friendihip,  have  been  the  greateft  ene- 
mies to  each  other,  and  deilroyed  one  another  in  the 
moft  cruel  m.anner." 

Anfiver.  That  fuch  have  received  no  happinefs  by 
the  attention  they  have  paid  to  the  Bible,  is  not  an  ar- 
gument of  the  leaft  weight  that  it  is  not  to  be  found 
there.  Men  may  come  to  the  Bible  with  a  flrong  and 
prevailing  difpolition  and  tafte  of  mind  or  heart  which 
does  not  relifh  that  in  which  true  happinefs  conlifts  ; 
but  is  highly  difgufted  and  difpleafed  with  it.  With 
this  vitiated  tafte  they  relifn  and  feek  after  happinels, 
where  it  cannot  be  found,  being  v/hoUy  blind  to  thefe 
fpiritual,  noble  objects  and  truths,  in  the  knowledge  and 
enjoyment  of  which  there  is  the  higheft  happinefs.  And 
fuch  a  wrong  tafte  and  difpofition  tends  to  bias  their 
underftanding  and  reafon,  fo  as  to  render  it  partial,  and 
incline  to  fpeculative  error.  It  is  therefore  to  impartial 
reafon  that  we  appeal. 

This  blindnefs,  which  conftfts  in  a  wrong  tafte  and 
difpolition  of  mind,  the  fcripture  fpeaks  of  as  common 
to  all  men  in  their  natural  ftate  j  and  when  it  fo  com- 
mon! v 


Il6  APPLICATION.  SeRM.  VII. 

moniy  takes  place,  it  is  a  confirmation  of  the  truth  of 
the  fcripture  :  *'  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they  are  fooliftinefs 
unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  becaufe  they  are 
fpiritually  difcerned." 

As  to  the  effed  which  Chriflianity  has  had  in  the 
world,  it  is  acknowledged  that  where  it  has  been  per- 
verted and  abufed,  it  has  been  the  occalion  of  much 
evil.  The  bell  things  are  capable  of  abufe,  and  of  being 
made  the  occafion  of  great  mifery.  But  this  is  no  ar- 
gument againft  their  ejjcellency,  and  tendency  to  the 
greateft  good,  when  improved  according  to  their  nature. 
In  order  to  be  under  advantages,  to  determine  this  quef-. 
tion,  we  m,uft  fludy  the  Bible,  and  learn  what  are  the 
doctrines  and  precepts  contained  in  it.  Every  one  who 
with  impartiality  and  a  right  or  good  tafte  does  this,  fees 
what  Chriflianity  is,  and  knows  that  in  conformity  to 
it,  the  greatefl  peace,  love  and  friendfhip,  and  the  moft 
pure  and  noble  happinefs,  is  to.  be  enjoyed  j  though  an 
abufe  of  it  may  be  attended  vv'ith  the  worft  confequences. 

This  brings  into  view  the  other  part  of  the  inference 
we  are  conlidering,  viz.  that  the  true  Chrillian  has  a  con- 
Hant  evidence  in  his  own  mind  that  Chriflianity  is  from 
heaven,  and  will  give  complete  and  eternal  life  and  hap- 
pinefs to  all  who  embrace  it.  They  have  found  and 
tailed  this  happinefs,  confifling  in  Chriflian  friendfhip  to 
Chrifl  and  to  all  who  appear  to  bear  his  image,  and 
know  that  nothing  is  wanting  in  order  to  their  com- 
plete felicity  forever,  but  to  have  this  friendfhip  perfed-. 
ed,  and  attended  with  every  circumilance  favourable  to 
\t.  They  are  fure  this  fcheme  is  from  heaven,  and  has 
a  divine  flamp  upon  it,  as  it  is  as  much  beyond  man  to 
form  it,  as  to  create  the  world.  They  may  not  be  able 
to  produce  all  which  is  called  the  external  evidence  oi  the 
truth  of  Chriflianity,  or  tO  anfwer  all  the  fubtle  cavils 
and  objections  and  witty  fcofis  of  infidels,  but  are  able  to 
fay,  with  the  primitive  Chriflians,  "  We  know  that  the 
Son  of  God  has  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  underiland-? 
ing  that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true.     This  is.  the' 

true 


SeRM.    Vn.  APPLICATION.-  "iljT 

true  God,  and  eternal  life."  And  they  are  witneiTes  to 
the  truth  declared  by  their  beloved  Lord  and  Saviour : 
"  This  is  eternal  life,  that  they  might  know  thee  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jefus  Chriil  whom  thou  hail  fent." 
They  have  found  the  treafure  hid  in  a  field,  the  pearl  of 
great  price.  They  have  found  all  they  want  to  make 
them  eternally  happy  ;  and  cheerfully  forfake  and  give 
up  every  thing  elfe,  and  renounce  all  hopes  or  deiireis  of 
any  other  happiness,  for  the  fake  of  theie. 

II.  How  happy  are  the  true  friends  of  Chrift !  They 
have  a  degree  of  fweet  enjoyment  and  happinefs  now, 
which  iirangers  intermeddle  not  with,  in  love  and 
union  of  heart  to  Chrift  and  their  fellov/  faints.  They 
tafte  the  fweets  of  Chriftian  friendfhip,  in  comparifon 
with  which  all  other  enjoyments  are  low,  infipid  and 
worthlefs*  They  fee  fucli  fuperlative,  ravifliing  beauty 
and  excellence  in  their  moft  beloved  friend,  that  they  are 
become  infenfible  and  dead  to  all  thofe  objects  which  glit-^ 
ter  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  charm  their  hearts,  by 
which  they  are  hurried  on  in  the  purfuit  of  them  with 
the  greateft  eagernefs.  They  have  a  friend  of  fuch  ex- 
cellence and  worth,  that  it  will  take  an  eternity  to  tell 
what  he  is,  and  make  a  full  difplay  of  his  fufiiciency  and 
perfections  What  though  their  portion  in  this  world 
is  mean,  and  their  lot  hard  ;  it  is  ordered  by  their  kind, 
wife  friend  for  their  beft  good.  What  though  they 
may  be  overlooked,  yea,  defpifed,  by  men,  and  arc 
counted  the  ' offscouring  of  all  things  ;  their  names, 
are  enrolled  in  the  moil  honourable  place  in  heaven ; 
thev  are  enscraven  on  the  breall  of  Him  who  is  at  the 
head  of  the  univerfe,  who  is  their  Almighty  and  ever- 
rafting  friend,  and  will  confefs  their  names  before  the- 
congregated  univerfe.  Their  life  is  hid  with  Chrift: 
i,n  God  :  and  when  Chrift  their  friend,  who  is  their 
life,  ftiall  appear,  then  ftiall  they  alfo  appear  with  him 
■in  glory.  Though  they  are  inconceivably  unworthy^ 
guilty,  defpicable  and  iU-deferving  in  themfelves,  yet 
their  friend  to  whom  they  are  united  has  dignity  and 
"VV'orthinefs  enough  to  recommend  to  the  higheft   hor 

nours 


IlS  APPLICATION.  SeRM.    VII. 

rours  and  happlnefs.  Becaufe  they  love  him,  and  have 
united  themfelves  to  him,  as  their  friend  and  patron, 
the  great  Father  of  the  univerfe  loves  them,  and  is  dif- 
pofedto  beflow  on  them  all  imaginable  favours  and  ho- 
nours ;  and  all  the  angels  delight  in  them,  and  join  to 
ferve  and  honour  them.  By  virtue  of  their  union  to  and 
intereft  in  this  friend  and  patron,  they  are  counted  worthy 
of  immenfeiy  higher  honours  and  happinefs  than  their 
moll  perfect  and  longeft  continued  holinefs  could  have  en- 
titled them  to.  The  low,  guilty  and  wretched  ftate  into 
\vhich  they  are  fallen  by  fin,  {hall  on  the  whole  be  no 
difadvantage  to  them,  but  infinitely  to  the  contrary. 
All  this  evil  jQiall  be  turned  into  the  great  eft  good  to 
them.  From  this  infinite  depth  of  guilt  and  wo,  in 
which  they  are  funk  infinitely  belov/  the  reach  of  any 
finite  arm,  they  fhall  be  raifed  to  the  top  of  the  creation, 
and  be  made  the  higheft  and  happieft  of  all,  next  to  the 
moft  bleffed  and  glorious  perfonage  to  whom  they  are 
united,  and  bear  the  moft  near  and  honourable  relation. 
With  him  they  (hall  dwell  forever,  and  be  admitted  to 
as  great  intimacy  and  familiarity  as  if  he  was  their  equal, 
and  immenfeiy  more,  even  as  great  as  they  can  poflibly 
defire — ihall  conftantly  have  all  the  tokens  and  expref- 
iions  of  his  love  they  can  wiffi  for,  and  enjoy  a  dear  and 
fweet  friendfhip  with  him,  without  interruption,  which 
fhall  exceed  every  thing  of  the  kind  beyond  conception, 
and  will  grow  more  and  more  fv/cet  and  tranfporting 
through  boundlefs  duration,  eternal  ages.  In  that  world 
of  love,  where  all  Tnall  fwim  in  this  river,  this  bound- 
lefs ocean  of  facred  pleafure  and  delight,  they  fhall  have 
the  fweeteft,  the  cream  of  all ;  as  the  firft-born,  they  Ihall 

inherit  a  double  portion  forever. But  I  muft  ftop  ; 

the  theme  is  boundlefs. 

Am  I  fpeaking  to  any  of  the  friends  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
who  love  him  in  fmcerity,  and  as  chafte  virgins  are  ef- 
poufed  to  him  ?  Hail,  ye  bleffed  of  the  Lord  !  Ye  are 
greatly  beloved  by  him,  and  nothing  fhall  be  able  to  fe- 
parate  you  from  his  love.  All  things  are  working  to- 
gether  for  your   good.      Jefus,  the  beloved  of  your 

fouls. 


SeRM.   Vn.  APPLICATION.  ZI9 

fouls,  is  at  the  head  of  the  univerfe,  and  Is  the  appomt- 
ed  judge  of  all.  Lift  up  your  heads,  and  rejoice,  tor 
your  redemption  draweth  nigh.  You  fliall  foon  fee  him 
at  the  head  of  his  moft  glorious  kingdom,  with  all  his 
enemies  under  his  feet.  He  will  completely  fulfil  all  the 
good  ple'afure  of  his  goodnefs  toward  you.  Ail  thing*? 
are  for  your  fakes,  that  his  abundant  grace  might, 
through  the  thankfgiving  of  many,  redound  to  the 
glory  of  God.  Be  entreated  then  not  to  faint,  but  lift 
up  the  hands  that  hang  down,  and  the  feeble  knees. 
Let  us  not  ceafe  to  pray  for  one  another,  and  for  all  the 
faints,  that  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  the  Fa- 
ther of  Glory,  may  give  unto  us  more  of  the  fpirit  of 
wifdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him  ;  the 
eyes  of  our  underftanding  being  enlightened  ;  that  we 
may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what 
the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance,  which  he  has 
provided  for  all  the  faints. 

in.  But  who  are  thefe  moft  happy  perfons,  the  true 
friends  of  Jefus  Chrift  ?  Many  are  doubtlefs  deceiving 
themfelves  in  this  important  point.  They  are  profef- 
fing  great  love  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  are  confident  that 
lie  is  their  friend,  while  indeed  they  know  him  not,  and 
are  real  enemies  to  his  true  character ;  and  will  be 
found  at  laft  the  workers  of  iniquity,  of  whom  he  will 
be  afliamed,  and  reject  them,  as  thofe  whom  he  never 
knew.  There  may  be  others  who,  though  they  are  his 
real  friends,  are  often  calling  their  love  and  friendlliip 
to  Chrift  in  queftion,  and  ready  fometimes  even  to  con- 
clude againft  themfelves.  It  may  therefore  be  worth 
while  to  attend  to  this  queftion  a  little,  to  w^hich  the 
fubjecl  we  are  upon  naturally  leads  us. 

Doubtlefs  many  readers  have  had  this  ferious  and 
important  queftion  in  view,  through  the  whole  of  the 
preceding  difcourfes.  And  wliile  we  have  attended  to 
the  nature,  peculiar  circumftances  and  exercifes  of  this 
friendftiip,  much  has  been  faid  to  give  light  in  this  mat- 
ter, and  afllft  perfons  in  determining  whether  they  are 
ifi  any  degree  acquainted  with  this  divine  friendiiiip,  or 

not. 


lid  At'PLlcAtio^.  SeiIm.  VIL 

noti  But,  For  the  further  afliftance  of  thofe  who  are  fc- 
rioufly  inquiring  whether  they  are  true  friends  to 
Chriftj  or  not  j  that  the  truly  fincere  may  be  encourag- 
ed and  conifortcdj  aiid  the  prefumptuous  felf-deceiver 
may  be  detected  and  convinced  ;  it  may  be  worth  while 
to  attend  to  the  following  partieulars,  which-  this  fub- 
jecl  naturally  brings  into  view. 

I.  True  friendiliip  to  Jefus  Chrift  is  not  grounded 
on,  and  does  not  originate  from,  a  conviftion  and  be- 
lief that  he  loves  them  and  is  their  friend. 

This  has  been  apparent  in  the  whole  defcriptiori  that 
has  been  given  of  this  love  and  friendfhip  ;  and  is  moft 
evident  from  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things.  Where 
one  loves,  and  is  a  friend  to,  another,  only  becaiife  he  is 
perfuaded  that  the  other  loves  him,  there  is  no  real  be- 
nevolence, efleem,  complacency  or  true;  friendfliip  in  the 
cafe.  It  is  nothing  hut  fe/f  lo-ve^  called  out  to  excrcifel 
in  this  particular  way,  in  which  there  is  Hot  a  fpark  of 
true  friendfhip  ;  but  is  a  principle  moft  directly  oppoflte 
to  it  of  any  in  naturCi  The  man  is  a  friend  to  himfeif, 
he  is  wholly  bound  up  in  his  own  private  intereft,  and 
values  and  feeks  nothing  elfe,  and  takes  no  complacency 
and  delight  in  any  thing  elfe,  in  no  perfon  or  things 
any  further  thanj  in  his  view,  it  is  friendly  to  him,  or 
tends  fome  way  to  promote  his  intereil ;  or  that  which 
lie  looks  upon  fo.  Such  an  one,  continuing  fo,  is  not 
capable  of  true  friendfliip,  to  which  difmtereiled  benevo- 
lence is  effential.  This  is  fo  plain  a  dictate  of  the  com- 
mon fenfe  and  feeling  of  mankind,  that  it  caniiot  be 
difputed.  If  the  affection  arid  friendfhip  of  any  one  to 
us  is  evidently  wholly  grounded  in  the  kindnefs  he  has 
received  from  us,  and  our  friendfhip  towards  him  ;  and 
all  his  alFeftion  and  regard  is  excited  and  kept  up  by 
this  confideration  only  ;  fo  that  if  we  fhould  leave  off  td 
fiiew  kindnefs  to  him,  or  he  fhould  fuppofe  that  we 
were  not  his  friends,  all  his  affedtion  and  friendfhip 
would  immediately  ceafe  j  if  this  was  evidently  all  the 
friendfhip  he  has  for  us,  we  cannot  help  looking  on  fuch 
an  one  not  to  be  our  true  friend.  Such  fort  of  friend- 
fhip 


SlRM.    VII.  APr>LICATI0N.  121 

fliip  as  this  may  take  place  between  perfons  who  have 
not  the  leaft  degree  of  true  benevolence,  and  who  are 
real  enemies  to  each  other's  true  charafter.  And  all 
mankind  have  joined  to  pronounce  it  a  worthlefs  thing, 
and  not  worthy  the  name  of  true  friendihip.  And  it 
is  as  diftant  from  true  friendihip,  and  as  worthlefs, 
when  exercifed  towards  Jefus  Chrift,  as  if  it  was  exercif- 
ed  towards  us.  Yet  many  arc  here  deceiving  them~ 
felves,  and  offering  that  to*  Chrift  for  his  acceptance, 
which  if  we  Ihould  offer  to  any  of  our  fellow  men, 
they  would  defpife  and  abhor  it. 

But  the  true  friends  of  Chrift  have  had  their  affe61:ion 
and  love  to  him  excited,  and  they  have  commenced  his 
true  friends,  from  a  view  of  his  true  character,  exhibit- 
ed in  divine  revelation,  eintirely  ndependent  of  the  con- 
lideration  of  his  loving  and  being  a  friend  to  them. 
When  his  character  was  once  opened  to  their  view,  and 
they  faw  what  manner  of  perfon  he  was,  they  were 
plcafed  and  charmed  with  him,  and  their  hearts  became 
friendly  to  him  in  a  moment.     They  did  not,  neither 
could  they,  ftay  till  they  knew  he  was  their  friend,  and 
loved  them,  before  they  commenced  his  friends,  and 
gave  their  hearts  to  him.     No  ;  they  could  not  but  love 
him,  whether  he  loved  them  or  no.     That  this  is  always 
true  of  the  real  friends  of  Chrift,  is  evident  to  a  de- 
monftration,  not  only  from  what  has  been  juft  now  ob- 
ferved  of  the  nature  of  true  friendfliip,  there  being  no 
other  fuch,  but  that  which  is  founded  in  a  difmterefted 
love  and  affection ;  but  from  this  plain  and  infallible 
truth,  viz.  that  we  can  have  no  evidence  that   Chrift 
is  our  friend,  and  loves  us,  until  it  is  evident  that  we 
are  his  friends.     There  is  no  other  poffible  way  for  any 
perfon  to  know,  or  have  the  leaft  ground  to  think,  that 
Chrift  is  his  friend,  but  by  firft  becoming  a  friend  to 
him.     If  therefore  he  waits,  and  negleds  to  become 
friendly  to  Chrift,  till  he  has  fome  evidence  that  Chrift 
is  more  a  friend  to  him  than  to  every  other  perfon,  he 
never  will  be  a  friend  to  him.     We  are  therefore  cer- 
tain^  that  if  there  are  any  friends  to  Chrift  in  this  world, 
'-:  R  thef 


T2-2  APf  LIGATION.  SsRM;    Vll. 

Uiey  becraue  lo  antecedent  t<).any  evidence  which  they 
had  th:U  Qiriit  was  their  friend,  and  loved  them :  for 
it  is  iir.poiTible  they  fhould  have  any  fuch  evidence  an- 
tecedent to  their  love  -to  him,  and  as  the  ground  and 
fpring  of  it ;  this  evidence  being  always  ccnfequent  on 
our  love  to  Chrift,  and  never  before  it.  Chrift  fays, 
*•=  He  that  loveth  me,  I  v/ill  love  him;  or,  I  will  love 
them  that  love  me.'*  Here  we  fee  Chrift'.s  k)ve  and 
friendlliip  is  grounded  on  ^  perfon^s  love  to  him,  and 
is  the  confequence  of  it ;  therefore  the  latter  cannot  be 
the  confequence  of  the  former,  and  grounded  on  that, 
And  here  Chrift  promifes  his  love  and  fricndiliip  to 
them  who  love  him  j  therefore,  according  to  this  pro- 
mife,  our  love  to  him  is  the  only  evidence  that  he  is  our 
friend.  And  there  is  not  one  promife  in  the  Bible,  of. 
ChrilVs  fpecial  love  and  friendlliip  to  amy  one,  unlefa 
he  has  that  character  which  implies  true  love  to  Chrift  r 
or,  they  who  are  not  true  friends  to  Chrift  have  no  pro^ 
mife  made  to  them  of  Cliriil's  Ipecial  love  and  favour  ; 
therefore  can  have  no  degree  of  evidence  of  it,  while 
they  continue  fuch.  They  tlierefore  who  think  they 
have  had  any  token  or  evidence  of  Chrift's  fpecial  love 
to  tliem,  antecedent  to  their  loving  him,  or  before  they 
become  his  friends,  are  moft  certainly  deluded.  And 
they  whofe  friendlliip  to  Chrift  is  built  on  fuch  a  fup- 
pofition,  and  has  originated  wholly  from  the  belief  that 
lie  was  their  fpecial  friend,  ai-e  founding  all  their  friend- 
Ihip  on  a  grofs  delufton,  and  are  indeed  no  true  friends 
to  Chrift,  and  need  nothing  but  to  fee  the  truth,  in  or- 
der to  know  they  are  not.  And  they  who  will  not  love 
Chrift,  and  become  friends  to  him,  till  they  firft  know, 
or  believe  on  good  evidence,  that  he  is  their  fpecial. 
friend,  will  never  be  his  friends  in  this  v/orld  ;  there- 
fore will  certainly  remain  his  enemies  to  all  eternity. 

The  true  friends  of  Chrift  love  him  for  what  he  is  in 
him/felf ;  and  all  their  friendlliip  to  him  conftfts  original- 
ly and  fundamentally  in  this.  He  has.  worthinefs  and 
excellency,  beauty  and  charms  enough  in  his  pcrfon  and 
character  to  win  the  heart  of  any  one  who  has  the  leail 

degree 


S'fi'RM.    Vrl.  AT?L  I  CATION.  li'^ 

degree  of  true  dlfccrnin^,  and  right  tafte  and  difpoii- 
tion.  If  perfons  have  no  degree  of  fuch  tafte  and  dif- 
cerning,  all  the  poffible  manifeftations  and  teftimonies 
of  Chrift's  fpecial  love  to  thenfi  would  not  beget  the 
ieaft  fpark  of  fuch  a  difpofition  ;  fo  would  not  produce 
the  Ieaft  decree  of  true  friendfhip  :  therefore  would  do 
Tio  manner  of  good  to  fuch  an  one,  but  hurt ;  as  it 
would  be  the  occalion  of  the  exercife  of  the  vVickednefs 
and  lufts  of  his  heart,  and  leave  him  really  a  more  con- 
firmed enemy  to  Chrift  than  he  was  before.  But  if 
perfons  have  any  degree  of  right  tafte  and  difcerning 
implanted  in  their  hearts  (which  is  ahvays  done  in  re^^ 
generation)  they  will  love  and  be  charmed  v/itli  the 
beauty  and  excellence  of  Chrift 's  character,  and  com- 
mence his  true  friends  immediately,  before  they  know, 
or  have  the  Ieaft  evidence,  that  he  is  their  friend,  or 
has  any  fpecial  love  to  them..  And  it  is  in  confequence 
of  their  thus  loving  and  cleaving  to  him.,  that  he  mani- 
fefts  himfelf  to  them  as  their  fpecial  Friend  and, Re- 
deemer. And  this  manlfeftation  is  made  by  the  medium 
of  their  love  to  him,  which,  as  has  been  before  obferved, 
is  in  all  cafes  the  only  evidence  that  any  perfon  can  have 
that  Chrift  is  indeed  his  friend.  Chrift  himfelf  has  on 
deftgn  ftated  this  matter  as  plain  as  words  can  make  it. 
He  fays,  "  He  that  loveth  me,  I  will  love  him,  and  will 
inanifeft  myfelf  unto  him." 

It  is  granted  that  the  manlfeftation  and  evidence  of 
Chrift's  fpecial  love  to  his  true  friends  M'iil  greatly  in- 
creafe  their  love  to  him ;  and  therefore,  in  a  fenfe  and 
degree,  they  love  him  becaufe  he  hrft  loved  them  ;  or, 
his  love  to  them,  manifefted  in  the  way  juft  mentioned, 
does  render  him  more  dear  to  them,  and  greatly  increafe 
and  fweeten  their  love  and  friendfiiip  for  him.  But  if 
they  had  no  antecedent  love  to  him,  grounded  upon 
what  he  is  in  himfelf,  fuch  manlfeftation  would  not  be 
the  occafion  of  any  true  love,  as  has  been  obferved. 
"When  therefore  a  fenfe  and  manlfeftation  of  Chrift 's 
love  to  them  is  faid  to  be  the  occafion  of  their  love  to 
him,  it  is  fuppofed  that  they  were  already,  and  antece- 
dent 


IS4  APPLICATION.  Serm.  VIL 

dent  to  this,  his  true  friends.  The  more  true  love  and 
fricndlhip  we  have  for  any  one,  grounded  on  the  true 
worth  and  excellence  of  his  character,  the  more  ples^ng 
will  it  be  to  us  to  be  beloved  by  him,  and  the  more  will 
it  increafe  our  love  and  friendlhip. 

The  view  of  this  matter  which  we  have  now  had  is 
fuflicient  to  demonftrate,  to  every  confiderate,  unpreju- 
diced perfon,  that  thofe  remarkable  words  of  the  apoftle 
John,  We  love  him,  hecaufe  he  fiust  loved  us,  cannot  mean 
that  our  love  to  Chrift  originates  from  a  belief  and  fenfe 
of  his  love  to  us,  as  the  proper  caufe  and  reafon  of  it,  fo 
that  men  never  love  him  in  any  other  view,  or  on  any 
other  account,  and  our  love  to  him  is  in  proportion  to 
the  evidence  and  manifeftation  of  his  love  to  us,  fo 
that  when  this  evidence  ceafes,  and  we  call  in  queftion 
his  love  to  ug,  our  love  to  him  ceafes,  and  again  rifes 
in  proportion  to  our  belief  and  afiurance  that  he  is  our 
friend.  This  is  the  meaning  that  many  have  put  on 
them,  and  earneftly  contended  for.  But  what  has  been 
faid  is  fufficient  to  fhew  that  they  herein  contend  for  a 
love  and  friendfhip  to  Chrift  which  is  not  true  friend- 
fhip,  but  is  perfectly  felfifh  and  mercenary,  fo  cannot  be 
that  in  which  true  Chriftianity  confifts.  The  worft  of 
men  will  love  thofe  that  love  them,  without  any  altera- 
tion in  their  moral  character  at  all.  Such  a  love  is  no 
virtue,  but  rather  a  vice,  as  it  is  only  the  exercife  of 
their  lufts.  And  thefe  fame  men  will  love  Chrift,  if  they 
can  be  perfuaded  to  believe  that  Chrift  loves  them,  and 
yet  be  as  deftitute  of  true  religion,  and  as  vicious,  a? 
ever.  And  whoever  is  a  friend  to  Chrift  only  in  this 
view,  and  on  this  account,  has  no  true  religion,  and  is 
at  bottom  a  real  enemy  to  Chrift.  The  meaning  of 
thefe  words  then,  "  We  love  him  becaufe  he^r/i  loved 
us,"  muft  be,  that  God*s  love  and  benevolence  to  us  is 
the  ground  and  reafon  of  our  ever  being  brought  to 
love  him,  as  we  never  fhould  have  been  brought  to  fuch 
■a  temper  and  difpofition,  but  have  continued  his  ene- 
mies, had  he  not,  from  his  eternal,  elefting  love,  given 
\15  ^  new  heart,  a  heart  to  love  him ;  fo  that,  in  this 

fenfe, 


SeRM,    VII.  APPLICATIOir.  12^ 

fenfe,  his  love  to  tis,  which  hfrji,  even  from  eternity, 
is  the  caufe  of  our  love  to  him.  This  is  a  certairlltruth, 
and'thefc  words  are  as  well  adapted  to  exprefs  it  as  any 
that  can  be  thought  of.  Our  Saviour,  fpeaking  of  the 
fame  thing,  viz.  the  love  and  friendihip  between  his 
difciples  and  himfelf,  exprefles  it  in  different  words. 
He  fays  to  them,  "Ye  have  not  chofen  me,  but  I  have 
cholen  you  ;  '*  i.  e.  my  previous  choice  of  you  to  be  my 
difciples  and  friends  has  been  the  reafon  of  your  bccom* 
ing  my  friends  and  followers,  as  you  never  would  have 
become  my  friends,  had  I  not  brought  it  about :  fo  you 
now  love  me,  and  are  become  my  friends,  becaufe  IJirJi 
loved  you,  looked  you  up,  and  called  you  by  my  in- 
fluences and  grace.  What  the  Apoftle  plainly  means  to 
affert  here  is,  that  in  the  work  of  redemption,  in  which 
a  reconciliation  is  brought  about  between  God  anci 
man,  and  a  mutual  love  and  friendfhip  takes  place,  God 
is  the  firfl  mover,  and  not  man.  This  is  the  theme  he 
is  upon,  as  appears  by  the  tenth  verfe :  "  Herein  i% 
love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and 
fent  his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  iins."  God  is 
firft  in  his  love  to  man,  by  which  he  has  provided  a  Me- 
diator ;  and  then,  by  his  motion  and  influences,  brings 
men  to  love  him.  And  thus  we  are  brought  into  thi> 
friendfliip,  and  love  God  and  the  Saviour,  not  as  firft 
moving  in  the  affair  ourfelves,  but  becaufe  God  frjl 
loved  us.  The  devil  knew  that  fuch  a  felfifo  religion 
is  not  true  religion,  but  is  an  argument  that  a  man  is 
really  a  wicked  man,  and  an  enemy  to  God ;  therefore 
he  faid,  in  order  to  fet  yob  in  a  bad  light,  and  iniinuate,"' 
that  the  characf cr  God  gave  of  him,  as  an  upright  viavy 
did  not  belong  to  him ;  "  Doth  Job  ferve  God  for 
nought  ?"  &c :  q.  d.  "  Job  is  wholly  felfifli  and  m.ercena- 
ry  in  what  he  does,  and  has  no  true  refpecf  and  love  to 
God,  nor  is  really  his  friend :  for  all  the  love  and  fer- 
vice  he  renders  to  God  is  grounded  on  God's  love  and 
kindnefs  to  him,  and  the  good  he  gets  by  it.  There- 
fore only  take  away  thefe  tokens  of  love  and  goodnefs, 
and  his  love  will  wholly  ceafe,  and  he  will  turn   an 

enemy 


1^5  AMPLICATION.  SeRM.   Vll 

^nemy  to  God."  And  God  implicitly  grants,  that  if 
this  was  the  cafe  with  Job,  he  was  not  worthy  the 
chara6ter  he  had  given  him  ;  therefore  proceeds  to  put 
this  matter  to  the  trial.  Wo  to  the  perfon  whofe  love 
and  friendfhip  to  Chrift  is  built  on  no  better  founda- 
tion than  this.  When  tiie  trial  comes,  he  will  be  found 
wanting,  even  juft  fucli  an  one  as  the  devil  vv*ould  have 
him  be  5  a  real  and  confirmed  enemy  to  Jefus  Chrift. 

Let  every  one,  then,  who  is  inquiring  whether  he  is 
a  true  friend  to  Chrift,  or  not,  fee  to  it  that  he  does 
r.ot  deceive  himfeif  here,  while  ail  his  love  and  afteftion 
is  only  a  felfijh  thing,  ariiing  wholly  from  a  thought 
2.nd  belief  that  Chrift  is  his  friend,  and  not  confifting  in 
any  true  fenle  of  his  worthinels,  fuperlative  excellence 
and  beauty.  The  true  friends  to  Chrift  love  and  ef- 
teem  him,  are  pleafed  with  his  perfon.  and  character, 
and  are  friendly  and  benevolent  to  him,  rejoicing  in 
his  honour  and  happincfs,  independent  of  his  love  to 
them  ;  and  therefore  if  he  fliould  caft  them  off  forever, 
and  their  character  continue  the  fame,  this  would  not 
deftroy  their  love  to  him  ;  but  they  would,  notwith- 
flanding  this,  continue  his  hearty  friends,  even  under 
the  higheft  tokens  of  his  difpleafure  j  could  he  do  this 
confiftent  with  his  true  charafter. 

1.  The  true  friends  of  Chrift  are  fubmiflive  and 
obedient  to  him. 

There  is  no  true  principle  of  obedience  but  love  ;  and 
juft  fo  far  as  this  takes  place,  there  is  a  fpirit  of  obedi- 
ence. So  far  as  one  is  a  true  friend  to  another,  he  is 
devoted  to  his  fervice,  and  is  at  his  beck,  efpecially  if 
he  is  his  fuperior,  and  has  a  right  to  dictate  and  com- 
mand. And  with  what  freedom  and  pleafure  do  we 
ftrive  to  ferve  and  pleafe  our  ciear  friends  !  This  is  no 
talk,  but  a  privilege.  What  influence  then  will  true 
love  and  friendfliip  to  Chrift  have  in  this  refped  !  with 
what  Rvect  delight  do  they  devote  themfelves  to  Him, 
k:>oking  on  his  fervice  as  the  greateft  privilege  and  hap- 
pinefs  that  they  can  conceive  of!  They  long  to  be  all 
iubmiiTion  and  obedience  to  him,  from  a  fenfe  of  the 

fweetnefs 


SeRM.    VII.  APPLICATION.  llf 

fvvcetnefs  and  pleafure  of  it.  As  foon  as  they  become 
friends  to  him,  they  are  reconciled  to  and  pleafed  with 
all  his  infcitutions,  commands  and  ways.  They  eftecm 
all  his  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be  perfectly  right. 
They  will  meditate  on  his  precepts,  and  have  rei'pe£t  to 
all  his  ways.  Yea,  they  will  delight  themfelves  in  his 
ftatutes,  and  rejoice  in  the  way  of  his  teftimonics,  more 
then  in  all  riches.  They  well  undei-fland  the  Pfalmiil 
when  he  fays,  "  I  opened  my  mouth,  and  panted,  for  I 
longed  for  thy  commandments.'*  They  are  not  difpo- 
fed  to  pick  and  choofe  for  themfelves,  but  are  ready  ta 
fign  a  blank,  and  fay,  "  Lord  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do?'*  "With  this  difpofition  they  read  God's  v/ord,  de- 
liring  to  find  what  is  that  good  and  perfect:  and  accep- 
table will  of  Chriil.  They  are  not  offended  at  the  crofs, 
or  feared  at  the  profpecl  of  fuiferings  for  their  dear 
Lord  and  Mafter  ;  but  are  ready  to  look  upon  this  as  a 
great  privilege  and  happinefs.  Ail  this  is  the  natural  and 
even  neceffary  attendant  of  true  friendihlp  to  Chrift. 
^  This  our  dear  Lord  has  expreffed  repeatedly  in  the  ftrong- 
cft  terms.  His  words  are,  "  He  that  hath  my  com- 
mandments and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me. 
If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words.  Ye  are  my 
friends,  if  ye  do  whatfoever  I  command  you.** 

There  are  many  profeffcd  friends  of  Chrift  who  are, 
found  wanting,  yea,  ell'entially  defective,  when  tried  by 
this  plain,  infallible  rule,  which  is  moftiniifted  on  of  any 
in  the  word  of  God,  as  the  beft  rule  of  trial.  They 
have,  it  may  be,  at  times  had  fome  uncommon  motions 
and  affeclions  of  foul,  as  they  fondly  think,  towards 
Chrift:  and  in  thefe  they  reft  as  a  fure  evidence  that 
they  are  become  friends  to  him.  But  what  is  the  fruit 
in  their  life  and  converfation  ?  Why,  it  may  be  truly 
faid  of  them,  they  profefs  great  love  and  friendfhip  to 
Chrift,  but  in  works  they  diihoiiour  and  deny  him. 
They  call  him  Lord  and  Mafter,  but  do  not  the  things 
that  he  fays  :  therefore  we  may  be  fure  they  are  not  his  - 
friends  ;  that  all  their  affection,  love  and  joy,  however' 
high  it  rifes,  is  of  a  fpurious  kind,  and  has  nothing  of 

the  nature  of  true  love  to  Chrift.  ,     , 

Look 


.J 28  APPLICATION.  SeRM.    VIII. 

Look  well  to  yourfelves  in  tills  point,  my  friends. 
Flatter  not  yourfelves  that  you  are  friends  to  Chrift, 
unlefs  you  are  wholly  devoted  to  his  fervice,  and  are, 
with  great  exactnefs  and  conlcientious  care,  labour  and 
watchfulnefs,  attending  upon  vvhatfoever  he  has  com- 
manded, and  avoiding  all  that  he  has  forbidden,  in 
thought,  word  and  deed  :  at  the  fame  time  not  counting 
this  a  tafk,  but  a  privilege,  from  which  you  never  de- 
lire  to  be  releafed. 


^ermou  viil 


On  Chriftian  Fricndfliip. 


Cant.  V.  1 6.     This  is  ?/iy  beloved^  and  this  is  my  friend. 

3.  TF  PERSONS  are  the  true  friends  of  Chrift,  their 
X  obligations    to    him    appear  exceeding   great    to 
them. 

It  is  the  nature  of  true  friendfhip  to  operate  thus. 
This  above  all  things  tends  to  make  perfons  fenfible  of 
the  obligations  they  are  under  to  their  friend,  and  to  be 
ready,  and  even  delight,  to  acknowledge  them.  The 
more  we  efteem  and  love  any  one,  the  greater  does  his 
kindnefs  to  us  appear,  and  the  more  are  we  affected 
with  it,  and,  confequently,  the  more  fenfible  Ihall  we  be 
of  the  obligations  we  are  under  to  him  ;  and  the  more 
Ihallwe  be  pleafed  and  delighted  in  being  thus  obliged. 

This  takes  place  in  the  friendfhip  we  are  now  confi- 
dering,  to  a  degree  beyond  any  parallel.  No  obligations 
in  the  univerfe  are  fo  great  as  thofe  of  Chrift's  friends 
and  fervants  to  him.  They  are  enhanced  to  an  amaz- 
ing degree,  and  become  infinite  every  way.  They  arc 
enough  to  fill  the  foul  with  wonder  and  aflonilhment, 

arid 


SerM.    Vill.  APPLICATION.  129 

and  fwallow  up  all  thought.  And  his  friends  are  not 
without  a  fenfe  of  this.  They  feel  themfelves  bound  to 
Chrift  by  the  ftrongeil  ties,  which  are  beyond  all  expref- 
fion.  He  has  bought  them  by  his  own  precious  blood, 
and  what  obligations  do  they  acknowledge  themfelves 
to  be  under,  to  be  wholly  and  forever  devoted  to  him, 
with  the  utmoft  ftrength  of  their  hearts  ! 

If  you  are  the  friends  of  Chrift,  this  has  been  often  a 
very  afFefling  theme  to  you.  You  have  felt  and  ac- 
kowledged  your  obligations  to  Chrift,  with  an  ardour  of 
foul  inexprellible,  and  with  a  great  degree  of  fweetnefs 
and  delight.  And  you  have  faid,  many  a  time,  "  What 
Ihall  I  render  to  the  Lord  and  Saviour  for  all  his  bene- 
fits ?"  And  you  have  found  you  had  no  returns  to  make 
anfwerable  to  the  immenfe  obligations  you  are  under  to 
him. This  leads  to  obferve, 

4.  The  friends  of  Chrift  never  think  they  have  done 
enough  for  him,  but  always,  in  their  own  view,  come 
vaftly  ihort  of  what  they  owe  to  him. 

This  is  always  the  attendant  of  true  friendfliip  among 
men,  efpecially  where  one  is  a  great  friend  to  another 
who  is  much  his  fuperior  every  way,  and  to  whom  he 
is  under  great  and  peculiar  obligations.  He  is  not  afraid 
of  doing  too  much  for  his  friend ;  but  always  comes 
fliort  of  what  he  would  be  glad  to  do,  being  ready  to 
purpofe  and  do  more  than  he  does.  And  he  is  not  apt 
to  magnify  what  he  has  done,  and  think  he  does  a  great 
deal,  as  he  does  it  with  fo  much  pleafure,  and  his  obliga- 
tions appear  fo  great ;  but  he  is  difpofed  to  think  it  lit- 
tle, or  even  nothing  ;  and  if  his  friend  appears  to  take 
great  notice  of  it,  he  is  ready  to  wonder  at  it,  and  think 
he  greatly  magnifies  it.  He  thinks  he  is  to  blame  that 
he  has  done  no  more,  and  is  uneafy  with  himfelf  on 
this  account,  and  wonders  that  fuch  notice  fliould  be 
taken  of  what  he  has  done. 

But  in  the  cafe  before  us,  this  takes  place  in  a  higher 

degree  than  in  any  other  ;  as  the  Chriftian*s  friend  is 

fo  much  m.ore  worthy  and  excellent  than  any  other, 

and  he  is  under  fo  much  greater  obligations  to  him,  and 

S  his 


130      '  APPLICATION.  SeRM.    VIIL 

his  defeats  and  fliort  comings  are  fo  much  greater  and 
inore  aggravated  than  in  any  other  cafe.  All  the  Chrif- 
tian  does,  and  renders  to  Chrift,  links  into  nothing,  in 
his  view,  and  he  looks  upon  it  as  amazing  condefcenllon 
in  Chrift  to  take  any  notice  of  it,  or  accept  it.  He  can 
heartily  and  feelingly  efpoufe  the  language  of  a  certain 
great  friend  of  Chrift,  who  was  once  in  our  world,  but  is 
now  in  heaven  with  him :  "  What  I  would,  that  I  do  not ; 
and  what  I  would  not,  that  I  do."  I  am  infinitely  in 
debt  to  my  glorious  friend,  but  pay  nothing.  All  my  re- 
turns I  make  to  him  are  fo  little,  and  fo  much  below 
the  obligations  I  am  under,  that  they  are  altogether  un- 
worthy his  notice.  O  that  I  could  give  away  to  him 
my  whole  felf  forever  in  one  pure,  conftant,  ardent  flame 
of  love.  And  even  this  would  be  fo  little,  worthlefs  a 
gift,  that  it  is  great  grace  and  condefcenllon  in  him  to 
a.ccept  it.  If  I  was  called  to  tlie  greateft  fufterings  in 
his  caufe,  and  to  lay  down  my  life  for  him,  this  I  fliould 
count  the  greateft  privilege ;  but  how  little  would  this 
be  towards  paying  the  debt  I  owe !  how  little  compared 
with  what  he  has  done  for  me ! 

There  are  many  profelTed  Chriftlans,  who  naturally 
think  they  do  a  great  deal  for  Chrift,  and  that  he  is  much 
in  debt  to  them  for  it ;  while  they  are  really  doing  little 
compared  with  what  many  others  do.  And  the  very 
reafon  why  they  have  fo  liigh  an  opinion  of  what  they 
do  is,  bccaufe  they  count  Chrift's  fervice  hard,  and  at 
bottom  have  no  true  love  to  him.  But  the  true  friends 
of  Chrift,  from  the  great  love  they  have  to  him,  are 
difpofcd  to  look  upon  all  they  can  do  or  fuffer  for  him 
as  little  or  nothing. 

5.  The  friends  of  Chrift  are  ready  to  efpoufe  his 
caufe  at  all  times,  let  it  coft  them  what  it  will. 

This  is  the  nature  of  true  friendlhip  j  it  will  lead  per- 
fons  always  to  appear  on  the  lide  of  their  friend,  to 
efpoufe  his  caufe,  and  promote  his  intereft.  Solomon 
obferves,  that  a  friend  loveth  at  aU  times.  This  is  ap- 
plicable to  the  cafe  before  us :  a  true  friend  of  Chrift 
loveth  at  all  times,  is  ready  to  ftand  up  in  his  caufe,  and 

efpoufe 


SeRM.    VIII.  APPLICATiON.  13! 

efpoufe  his  intereft,  let  who  will  oppofe  It.  He'  is  not 
alliamed  of  his  friend,  and  will  not  account  his  name, 
eftate  or  his  life  dear  to  him,  if  he  is  called  to  give  any 
or  all  of  them  up,  to  teftify  his  love  to  Chrift.  He  is 
tenderly  affected  and  hurt  when  Chrift  is  flighted  and 
diihonoured,  and  will  do  all  he  can  to  wipe  oft'  the  re- 
proach. And  if  Chrift  muft  bo  diftionoured  and  re- 
proached, he  is  willing  to  fuffer  reproach  with  him ; 
and  delires  not  to  fare  better  in  the  world  than  Chrift 
and  his  caufe  do. 

6.  The  true  friends  of  Chrift  defire  and  long  to  have 
others  become  his  friends. 

Their  benevolence  to  Chrift,  and  to  their  fellow  men, 
will  both  influence  to  this.  They  want  all  fliould  love 
and  honour  Chrift,  out  of  love  and  benevolence  to  him ; 
and  they  earneftly  tkfire  that  others  may  enjoy  the  hap- 
pinefs  of  this  friendfliip,  as  friends  to  them.  Under  the 
influence  of  this  they  are  praying  for  others,  that  they 
may  be  brought  to  know  Chrift,  and  fo  become  his  real 
friends  and  fervants.  And  they  are  taking  all  the  pro- 
per ways  they  can  think  of  to  recommend  Chrift  to  others, 
both  in  words  and  condufl,  by  holding  forth  light,  and 
matter  of  convidion  of  his  worth  and  excellence. 

7.  The  true  friends  to  Chrift  know  that  they  are 
naturally  enemies  to  him,  and  continue  to  have  a  great 
degree  of  oppofttion  and  enmity  in  their  hearts  to  him, 
even  now. 

There  are  many  profelTed  Chrlftians  who  are  Infen- 
fible  that  they  are,  or  ever  were,  in  any  degree  real  ene- 
mies to  Chrift.  They  think  mankind  in  general,  and 
themfelves  in  particular,  are  much  mifreprefented  and 
abufed,  if  any  one  declares  them  to  be  naturally  enemies 
to  Chrift.  This,  we  are  obliged  to  think,  is  owing  to 
their  not  being  real  friends  to  Chrift.  If  they  were, 
they  could  not  be  fo  infenfible  of  that  which  oppofes 
him.  It  is  no  wonder  that  he  who  is  not  a  friend  to 
Chrift  fiiould  be  blinded  in  this  matter,  and  wholly  over- 
look his  oppolition  and  enmity  to  Chrift ;  but  that  a 
true  friend  to  him  fhould  be  thus  blinded  is  perfectly 

unaccountable. 


132  APPLICATION.  SeRM.    VIII. 

unaccountable,  and  even  impoflible.  All  fin  is  nioft  di- 
rect oppofition  to  Chrift,  and  enmity  againft  him,  \vhe- 
ther  it  be  in  us  or  in  others.  But  the  Chriflian  world  is 
full  o{  iin ;  and  all  men  are  naturally  wholly  given  to 
it,  and  therefore  really  hate  Chrift.  And  even  his  belt 
friends,  in  this  world,  have  a  great  degree  of  corrup- 
tion, and  many  linful  exercifes  of  heart.  And  all  this 
is  real  enmity  to  Chrift,  it  being  not  the  lefs  fo  becaufe 
they  have  a  degree  of  love  to  Chrift.  Therefore  it  feems 
impoflible  that  a  friend  to  Chrift  ftiould  be  infenfible  of 
this. 

When  any  one  has  no  true  love  and  friendftiip  for 
another,  but  greatly  undervalues,  diflikes  and  hates  him, 
and  yet  imagines  he  is  his  true  friend,  he  muft  of  confe- 
quence  be  in  a  great  degree  ftupid  and  blind  to  the  flight 
and  contempt  that  is  caft  upon  hira,  and  will  naturally 
think  he  is  treated  well  enough  ;  and  may  look  upon 
that  as  an  a6t  of  refpe6t  to  him,  in  which  really  a  flight 
is  put  upon  him,  and  is  an  act  of  enmity  againft  his  true 
charader.  But  he  who  is  a  true  friend  to  another,  and 
efteems,  honours  and  loves  him  to  a  great  degree,  for 
"what  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  in  a  view  of  his  true  charac- 
ter, will  be  quick  to  difcern  and  feel  every  flight  that  is 
put  upon  him,  and  every  thing  that  oppofes  his  charac- 
ter. So  it  is  in  this  cafe ;  the  true  friend  of  Chrift 
knows  the  whole  world  lies  in  wickednefs,  and  that  all 
men  are  naturally  in  arms  againft  Chrift,  and  arc  pro- 
claiming their  enmity  againft  him ;  that  he  himfelf  is 
naturally  a  rebel  and  enemy  to  him ;  and  that  there  is 
a  great  degree  of  the  fame  thing  in  his  heart  now,  of 
w^hich  he  mall  never  be  wholly  cured,  till  he  is  perfectly 
cured  of  all  fin.  In  this  view  the  friends  of  Chrift  loathe 
and  abhor  themfelves,  humble  themfelves  before  him, 
and  lie  in  the  duft  at  his  feet,  judging  and  condemning 
themfelves,  acknowledging  their  own  guilt  and  ill-defert, 
and  exceeding  vilenefs  and  odioufncfs,  and  feeling  them- 
felves wholly  without  the  leaft  excufe.  They  know 
that  the  carnal  mind,  even  every  thing  that  is  in  man 
naturally,  is  enmity  againft  Chrift,  and  that  the  friend- 

ihip 


SeRM.    VIII.  APPLICATION^  133 

iliip  of  this  world  Is  enmity  againft  him  ;  that  they  are 
no  further  friends  to  Chrift  than  they  are  new  creatures, 
having  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  lufts,  and  put  on 
the  new  man  :  and,  O,  how  do  they  long  for  deliverance 
from  this  body  of  fin  and  death,  to  be  perfectly  like 
Chrift,  and  turned  into  a  pure,  holy  flame  of  perfect 
love  to  him  ! 

8.  The  true  friends  of  Chrift  think  much  of  him, 
and  his  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  having  a 
fweetnefs  and  fragrancy,  which  often  fills  their  hearts 
with  an  holy  warmth  and  fervour,  and  fweet,  heavenly 
delight. 

Our  deareft  friends  have  always  a  place  in  our  hearts  : 
we  are  apt  to  have  them  much  in  our  thoughts :  every 
thing  about  us,  and  every  occurrent,  almoft,  will  fuggeft 
the  idea  of  them  to  our  minds,  which  we  are  apt  to  car- 
ry with  us  wherever  we  go. 

And  furely  there  is  fomething  like  this  in  the  friend- 
Ihip  we  are  confidering.  No  perfon  has  reafon  to  think 
he  is  a  friend  to  Chrift,  unlefs  he  thinks  much  of  him, 
and  the  pleafing  idea  he  has  formed  of  him  is  apt  to  be 
prefent,  and  is  familiar  to  him. 

The  friend  of  Chrift  has  really  more  concern  with 
him,  than  with  any  other  perfon  in  the  univerfe ;  and 
more  paffes  between  him  and  Chrift,  than  between  any 
one  elfe.  To  him  his  heart  naturally  goes  out,  when 
alone,  in  exercifes  of  love,  devotion  and  prayer  ;  and  of 
him  he  thinks  much,  even  in  company ;  for  none  can 
fo  divert  him  as  to  erafe  the  fweet  idea  of  his  beft  belov- 
ed from  his  mind.  And  whatever  he  does  in  word 
or  deed,  he  does  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus,  giv- 
ing thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  by  him.  Chrift  is  in 
him  the  hope  of  glory ;  and  the  life  he  lives  is  a  life  of 
faith  on  the  Son  of  God. 

9.  The  friends  of  Chrift  do  truft  in  him  wholly  for 
righteoufnefs  and  ftrength.  They  truft  in  his  m.erit  and 
worthinefs  only,  to  recommend  them  fo  as  to  find  ac- 
ceptance with  the  Father  of  the  univerfe,  and  to  all 
that  favour  they  need.  They  know  they  have  no  wor- 
thinefs 


134  APPLICATION.  Serm.  VLlt 

tliinefs  of  their  own,  but  infinitely  tliereverfe  of  it; 
that  they  are  in  themfelves  moft  unworthy,  odious  and 
ill-deierving ;  and  they  know  that  Chrift  has  merit  and 
vvorthinefs  enough  to  recommend  them  ;  and  they  fee 
wherein  it  confifts.  Their  knowledge  of  the  true  charac- 
ter of  Chrift,  and  fenfe  of  his  worthinefs,  excellency  and 
amiablcnefs,  in  which  their  love  and  friendfhip  to  him 
confifts,  is  a  liifTicient  foundation  for  their  trull  in  him 
to  recommend  them  to  the  offended  Lawgiver.  They 
fee  the  reafon  why  he  is  fo  worthy  and  acceptable  to  the 
Father  ;  and  do  not  wonder  that  he  is  ready  to  pardon 
and  Ihew  the  greateft  favours  to  thofe  who  are  his  friends, 
and  for  whom  he  has  undertaken  as  their  friend  and 
patron,  interpoling  and  employing  his  merit  and  wor- 
thinefs in  their  behalf.  They  therefore  fee  the  fafety 
there  is  in  relying  upon  him  for  this,  however  unwor- 
thy they  are  in  themfelves  ;  that  they  need  nothing  but 
to  be  united  to  him,  fo  that  he  Ihall  be  their  friend,  and 
properly  efpoufc  their  caufe,  in  order  to  have  all  the  fa- 
vour they  want,  and  to  be  "  accepted  in  ihe  Beloved.^* 
And  the  higher  their  love  and  friendfhip  to  Chrift  arifes, 
and  the  greater  fenfe  they  have  of  his  excellency  and 
Worthinefs,  the  more  ftrongly  do  they  rely  upon  him  for 
righteoufnefs ;  the  more  clearly  do  they  fee  the  propri- 
ety, wifdom  and  glory  of  this  way  of  the  finner's  finding 
acceptance  with  God,  and  with  the  more  cheerfulnefs 
and  delight  do  they  trufl  in  him,  "  deliring  to  be  found 
in  him,  not  having  their  own  righteoufnefs,  which  is  of 
the  lawj  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Chrift, 
the  righteoufnefs  which  is  of  God  by  faith."  In  fhort, 
the  more  they  love  Chrift,  the  more  fully  do  they  fee 
their  deftitution  of  all  righteoufnefs  and  worthinefs  of 
their  own  ;  yea,  the  infinite  diftance  they  are  from  any 
iuch  thing,  even  their  infinite  vilenefs  and  ill-defert ; 
and  the  more  clearly  do  they  behold  the  fufficiency  of 
his  worthinefs  to  recommend  them  ;  and  the  more 
pleafed  are  they  with  being  faved  in  this  way,  as  the 
wifeft  and  mofl  fweet  and  excellent  of  any  they  can  ima* 


gme. 


If 


SeRM.   VIII.  APPLICATION.  135 

If  a  perfon  wants  a  favour  of  any  one,  which  he  lias 
forfeited,  and  of  which  he  is  utterly  unworthy,  havin^j 
juftly  incurred  his  higheft  difpleafure  j  and  tliere  is  ano- 
ther, a  third  perfon,  whom  he  highly  efleenis  and  loves, 
and  knows  he  is  moil  worthy  and  acceptable  in  his  eyes 
whofe  favour  he  wants  j  he  will  naturally  defu'e  tliat 
this  his  beloved  friend  Ihouid  cfpoufe  his  caufe,  and  in- 
terpofe  the  influence  and  merit  he  has  with  the  offend- 
ed perfon,  to  procure  his  pardon  and  favour.  And  if 
he  knows  that  this  his  much  eileemed  and  moft  dear 
friend  has  actually  undertaken  thus  to  mediate  in  the 
behalf  of  offenders,  and  in  this  vvork  has  done  much  to 
pleafe  and  honour  the  offended,  injured  perfon,  even 
enough  more  than  to  countervail  the  injury  and  damage 
he  had  fuftained  ;  he  will  naturally  rely  wholly  upon 
his  merit  and  worthinefs  with  the  offended  perfon,  for 
that  acceptance  and  favour  he  wants.  And  his  receiv- 
ing it  in  this  channel,  wholly  by  the  interpofition,  me- 
rit and  worthinefs  of  his  highly  efteemed  and  well  be- 
loved friend,  will  render  it  doubly  fweet  to  him,  at  the 
fame  time  that  it  will  greatly  endear  to  him  his  very 
worthy  friend.  And  hence  we  may  obferve,  that  it  is 
agreeable  not  only  to  the  practice  of  mankind  in  fuch 
cafes,  but  to  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things,  that  fuch 
a  friend  fhould,  by  his  merit  with  the  offended  perfon, 
procure  pardon  and  favour  to  the  offender,  who  applies 
to  him  and  trufts  in  him,  to  do  fuch  a  kind  ofiice  for 
him  ;  and  that  it  may  be  reafonable  and  proper  that 
fuch  a  favour  fhould  be  given  him  purely  out  of  refpect 
to  the  merit  and  worthinefs  of  his  friend,  to  whom  he 
is  united,  and  in  whom  he  trufts  for  this,  which  it 
would  not  be  proper  and  wife  to  grant  in  any  other 
way. 

Thus  the  friend  of  Chrift  fees  that  "  the  Lord  is  well 
pleafed  for  his  righteoufiiefs  fake,"  and  fays,  with  un- 
Ipeakable  fatisfadtion  and  pleafure,  "  In  the  Lord  have  I 
righteoufnefs  j"  yea,  with  iramenfely  more  pleafure  than 
the  angels  have  in  being  accepted  in  their  own  righte- 
oufnefs.   An4  the  honour  and  glory  that  the  Mediator. 

their 


136  APPLICATION.  Si'RM,    VIIL 

their  dcareft  friend,  1ms,  by  thus  becoming  the  righte- 
oufnefs  of  his  people,  and  procuring  pardon  and  accep- 
tance for  them,  is  exceeding  fatisfadory  and  pleafing  to 
his  friends.  They  are  abaied  and  humbled  to  the  low- 
ell  degree,  and  made  to  take  their  proper  place,  in  a 
fenfe  of  their  own  infinite  unworthinefs  and  guilt : 
Chrift,  their  friend,  is  exalted,  as  having  merit  and 
worthinefs  with  God  fufficient  to  cancel  their  guilt, 
and  recommend  them  to  the  greateft  dignity  and  blef- 
fednefs.  And  with  this  they  are  well  pleafed,  and  re- 
joice to  take  their  own  place,  fink  down  low  at  the  foot 
of  Chriil,  and  to  exalt  and  honour  their  glorious  Friend 
and  Redeemer.  And  in  this  way  they  at  the  fame  time 
exalt  and  honour  themfelves  in  the  hioheft  deo^ree. 

They  who  are  at  heart  in  no  degree  friendly  to  Jefus 
Chrift,  never  thus  truft  in  him  for  righteoufnefs  ;  nor 
can  they  be  reconciled  to  this  method  of  pardon  and 
falvation.  Whatever  profefTion  they  may  make,  and 
however  orthodox  they  are  in  fpeculation,  they  do  not 
really  underiland  this  matter;  it  is  feoliflinefs  unto  them, 
and  their  whole  hearts  do  in  all  their  exercifes  moft  di- 
rcdlly  and  ilrongly  oppofe  it ;  and  they  are  at  bottom 
feeking  after  righteoufnefs,  as  it  were  by  the  works  of 
the  law.  The  friends  of  Chrift  truft  wholly  in  him  al- 
fo  for  ftrength,  by  which  they  m»ay  perfevere  in  love 
and  friendfhip  with  him  ;  being  fenlible  that  they  have 
no  fufhciency  of  their  own,  and  that  there  is  not  the 
leaft  ground  of  dependence  on  themfelves.  In  this 
fenfe,  they  go  through  this  wildernefs  to  the  world 
above,  lean'mg  on  their  beloved ;  knowing  that  though  of 
themfelves  they  can  do  nothing,  yet  through  Chrift 
itrengthening  them  they  can  do  ail  things. 

III.  Let  what  has  been  faid  on  this  fubjeft  be  impro- 
ved to  recommend  Jefus  Chrift  to  all  as  the  beft  friend, 
and  as  a  motive  to  enter  into  friendfhip  with  him,  and 
make  him  their  friend  without  delay. 

You  have  been  attending  to  the  unfpeakable  privi- 
leges and  blefiednefs  of  this  friendfhip  ;  you  have  had 
enough  laid  before  you   abundantly  to  convince  yoiv 

that 


•SeRM,   VIII.  APPLICATION.  1^7 

that  this  is  the  mofl  important  and  happieft  friendfliip 
in  the  univerlb ;  that  they  are  indeed  biefled  and  made 
happy  forever,  who  are  true  friends  to  Jefus  ChriiK 
They  enjoy  a  much  higher  degree  of  happinefs  in  this 
world,  than  any  other  perfons  ever  did,  or  ever  can  do. 

And  you  are  all  now  invited  into  this  friendfhip, 
who  have  hitherto  lived  ftrangers  to  it  j  you  are  none 
of  you  excluded  ;  but  Chrift  is  offered  to  you  all  in  the 
character  of  an  almighty  and  moft  excellent  friend ; 
and  nothing  is  wanting  but  the  free  confent  of  your 
hearts  to  give  yourfelves  up  to  him,  in  this  charafter, 
become  friends  to  him,  cleave  to  him,  and  love  him,  in 
order  to  his  being  your  friend.  You  cannot  fail  of 
having  him  your  friend  but  by  rejeding  the  moft  kind 
offer  he  makes  to  you.  If  therefore  any  under  the  gof- 
pel  perifli  at  laft  for  want  of  an  all-fufBcient  friend,  who 
is  able  and  ready  to  do  all  for  them  they  can  want,  even 
in  the  moft  extreme  cafe,  and  is  infinitely  the  beft,  moft 
fweet  and  excellent  friend  in  the  univerfe ;  it  muft  be 
becaufe  they  have  perfifted  through  their  whole  life  in 
refuftng  his  kind  offer  to  be  their  friend,  and  preffing 
invitations,  urged  by  the  ftrongeft  motives  imaginable, 
to  choofe  him  as  their  friend. 

All  that  has  been  faid  on  this  interefting,  pleaftng 
fubjed  confpires  to  Ihew  the  folly  and  mifery  of  fuch. 
But  to  all  this  a  few  words  more  may  be  added,  in  an 
addrefs  to  fuch  who  have  hitherto  rejected  this  Heaven- 
ly Friend. 

Confider  how  happy  they  muft  be  who  have  entered 
into  this  friendfliip  ;  who  love,  and  are  beloved  by,  fuch 
an  infinitely  excellent  and  amiable  friend.  Much  ha'^ 
been  faid  in  the  preceding  difcourfes  to  fet  forth  the 
happinefs  of  fuch.  But  the  particular  conlideration 
which  is  fuited  to  lead  you  to  conceive  of  this  matter, 
is,  the  happinefs  of  other  friendftiips ;  at  leaft  the  hap- 
pinefs which  men  are  eagerly  feeking  and  purfuing  in 
them. 

The   blooming,  fprightly  youth  commonly  fets  out 

foon  in  the  eager  purfuit  of  happinefs,  in  love  and  friend- 

T  Ihip. 


138  APPLICATION.  SeRM.    VIII» 

fhip.  For  tills  he  lias  the  moft  keen  tafte,  and  can  con- 
ceive of  no  higher  enjoyment  than  this.  To  love  and 
be  beloved  by  a  friend  which  he  fliall  choofe  out  from 
all  the  reft  of  mankind,  and  prefer  to  all  the  reft,  to 
enjoy  fuch  a  friend  in  the  moft  agreeable  eircumftances, 
is  the  height  of  all  felicity  in  his  view.  And  eVen  the 
hope  and  profpecl  of  it  will  give  a  degree  of  high  enjoy- 
ment, fuch  as  it  is,  and  prompt  him  to  go  through  al- 
moft  any  difficulty  and  hardlhip,  in  order  to  be  united 
with  and  enjoy  fuch  a  friend. 

Your  obfervation  and  experience  with  refpecl:  to  this 
may  ferve  to  convince  you  of  the  exalted  happinefs  of 
the  friendlhip  I  am  inviting  you  into.  What  are  all 
the  excellencies  and  charms,  either  of  body  or  mind, 
of  the  moft  lovely  perfons  on  earth,  compared  with 
thofe  of  Jeius  Chrift  !  You  want  nothing  but  a  tafte 
and  reiifh  for  his  beauties,  in  order  to  lower  your  relilli 
for  all  mere  human  friend ftiips,  and  to  make  you  long 
for  real  enjoyment  in  the  moft  noble  and  fubftantial 
friendftiip  ;  and  the  higheft  enjoyment  of  earthly  lovers 
(to  obtain  which  they  would  be  willing  to  give  away 
all  the  riches  of  both  the  Indies)  would  appear  to  you 
to  be  mean  trafti ;  a  low,  defpicable,  fading  nothing. 
They  who,  in  a  high  tafte  for  friendftiip,  are  purfuing 
happinefs  in  earthly  loves,  are  always  difappointed  in  a 
greater  or  lefs  degree.  Either  they  never  get  pofleflion 
of  the  beloved  object,  or,  if  they  do,  they  find  not 
thofe  excellencies  they  expefted,  having  greatly  over- 
rated them  in  their  imaginations ;  or  the  enjoyment 
does  not  anfwer  their  expectations  ;  and  the  happinefs 
they  find  is  ftiort-lived,  and  attended  with  many  trou- 
bles and  undefirable  things,  and  fooii  dies  away.  And 
often  the  fhort-lived  comfort  gives  place  to  a  keen 
and  lafting  mifery,  which  leaves  the  poor  creature  in 
abfolute  defpair  of  that  happinefs  which  had  been  ex- 
pected, and  fo  eagerly  fought  after.  But  in  the 
friendftiip  now  propofed  to  you,  your  higheft  expecfta- 
tions  ftiall  be  immenfely  outdone.  The  enjoym.ent  of 
your  friend  ftiall  not  fade,  but  increafe.     You  will  find 

his 


5erm.  VIIL  ■  ApTLTCAruTcn^,  139 

his  beauty  and  excellency  greater  tlian  you  "conceived  ; 
and  that  the  one  half  was  not  told  you. .  You  fliall  ex- 
ift  in  the  bloom  and  vigour  of  eternal  youth.  Your 
tafte  for  love  and  friendfiiip  ihall  not  die,  but  increafe, 
and  be  a  thoufand  times  as  high  and  keen  as  that  of  the 
moft  paflionate,  doating  earthly  lover  :  and  this  fhall  be 
completely  fatisfied  in  the  enjoyment  of  your .  beloved, 
under  all  imaginable  advantages,  and  with  every  dehra- 
ble  circumftance,  while  his  beauties  (hall  fparkle  in  your 
eyes,  and  more  and  more  charm,  and  fill  you  with  un- 
utterable tranfports  of  the  moft  foHd  and  lafting  joy, 
and  he  will  give  himfelf  wholly  to  you  forever. 

O  let  them  who  have  a  high  relifh  for  earthly  love 
and  friendfhip  improve  this  to  help  their  conceptions  of 
the  happinefs  of  the  love  and  friendfhip  now  recom- 
mended ;  and  let  them  hence  be  excited  to  feek  after 
this  enjoyment,  by  choofing  Jefus  Chriftas  their  friend. 
Let  them  know  that  it  is  only  becaufe  their  tafte  is  viti- 
ated and  perverted,  that  they  are  not  purfuing  this  love 
with  as  much  eagernefs  and  high  expectaticn  zs  the  fond 
youth  is  hurried'  on  in  earthly  amours. 

And  let  the  ysuth^  in  particular,  be  invited  into  this 
friendfhip.  It  is  pity  tlie  morning  of  your  days,  the 
bloom  and  vigour  of  life,  ftiould  be  fpent  in  the  eager 
purfuit  of  that  which  will  not  profit,  but  end  in  difap- 
pointment  and  mifery.  It  is  pity  you  fliould  not  give 
yourfelves  up  to  Jefus  Chrift,  the  heavenly  friend,  in 
your  early  days,  and  let  him  have  your  firft  love.  He 
is  calling  upon  you  to  give  your  hearts  to  him,  in  this 
noble  and  exalted  friendfhip.  You  fhall  j&nd  all  the 
fweetnefs  in  this  that  you  expect,  and  are  purfuing  elfe- 
where,  and  ten  thoufand  times  more.  And  this  fliall 
fweeten  all  other  friendfhips  to  you,  that  are  worthy  to 
be  deiired  and  purfued.  This  will  lay  a  foundation  for 
a  virtuous,  noble  friendfhip  with  others,  which  fliall 
grow  more  and  more  refined  and  fweet,  and  fliall  end 
in  fomething  happy  and  glorious,  beyond  all  our  prefent 
conceptions. 

Agaii:, 


140  APPLICATION.  SeRM.   VIII. 

Again,  confider  the  bafe  ingratitude  and  wickedneft 
there  is  in  flighting  and  rejeAing  the  offers  of  this 
friendfhip  with  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  dreadful  confe- 
quence  of  it.  If  you  do  not  enjoy  all  the  bleilings  of 
this  friendfliip,  it  will  be  wholly  your  own  fault,  and 
the  confequence  will  be  unutterable  mifery.  You  muft 
anfwer  for  the  wickednefs  you  are  guilty  of  in  rejecting 
Chrift,  which  is  in  proportion  to  his  greatnefs,  worthi- 
nefs  and  excellence,  his  kindnefs  and  lore,  and  the  hap- 
pinefs  you  hereby  refufe.  You  are  fpurning  at,  and 
trampling  upon,  the  mofl  tender  love,  of  the  moft 
worthy  and  excellent  perfonage,  who  offers  to  receive 
you  into  the  embraces  of  the  deareft  love.  And  O,  what 
will  be  the  confequence  of  this  !  Why,  Chrift,  the 
great  and  celebrated  friend,  who  now  offers  to  take 
you  into  a  dear  and  everlafting  friendlhip,  and  become 
your  moft  loving  friend  forever,  if  you  will  confent  to 
-it,  will  become  your  peculiar  and  greateft  enemy  ;  yea, 
your  implacable  enemy  forever.  He  will  hate  you,  and 
heap  mifchiefs  on  your  head,  without  the  leaft  degree 
of  pity  or  regard  to  your  intercft.  He  will  caft  you  in- 
to outer  darknefs,  and  tread  you  down  in  his  wrath, 
and  trample  you  in  his  fury.  His  hatred,  wrath  and 
vengeance  towards  you  will  be  great  and  dreadful  in 
proportion  to  his  love  and  kindnefs  to  his  friends.  And 
ail  his  friends  will  moft  heartily,  join  with  him  in  this ; 
and  not  one  of  them  will  exercife  the  leaft  love  and  pity 
towards  you.  All  your  friendihips  you  are  entering  in- 
to and  purfuing  now,  will  wholly  ceafe  foon,  and  turn 
into  the  moft  tormenting  hatred  and  enmity.  The 
higher  your  love  and  friendlhip  with  others  rifes,  which 
is  coniiitent  with  your  being  enemies  to  Chrift,  and  the 
more  connections  you  have  with  inch,  the  greater  ene- 
mies and  plagues  will  you  be  to  one  another  forever. 
And  the  time  will  foon  come  when  you  ftiail  know  you 
have  not  a  friend  in  the  univerfe,  and  that  you  yourfelf 
know  not,  nor  ever  will  know,  what  true  friendfhip 
means  ;  being  ju^ly  curfed,  and  given  up  to  an  un- 
friendly heart,  full  of  pride,  hatred,  envy,  malice,  re- 
venue 


5eRM.    Vin.  APPLICATIDV.  14t 

yeilge,  curfing  and  bitternefs,  in  confequencc  of  your 
refufal  to  enter  into  a  friendfhip  with  Jefus  Chrift, 
Coniider  how  hard  and  cutting  it  is  now  to  be  hated, 
and  hav'C  the  ill  will  of  others,  and  find  yourfclf  friend- 
iefs  w^hen  in  calamity  and  diftrefs,  and  you  ftand  in 
need  of  help  ;  and  let  this  teach  you  a  little  what  you 
muft  feel  if  you  ever  come  to  the  cafe  jull  defcribed. 
And  as  you  would  avoid  all  this  evil,  of  which  we  can 
have  but  a  faint  idea  now,  be  pcrfuaded  to  attend  to 
the  moil  kind  offer  which  Chriil  makes  to  you.  O 
run,  Jly  into  his  arms,  which  are  now  ftretched  out 
to  you,  and  he  will  embrace  you  forever.  Are  you  in 
the  utmoft  danger  of  fmking  into  hell,  his  almighty, 
everiafting  arms  Ihall  be  underneath  you,  to  hold  you 
up,  and  raife  you  to  the  higheft  heavens.  Are  you 
moft  miferable  and  wretched,  run  to  Chrift,  and  he 
will  deliver  you  out  of  all  trouble,  and  effectually  fecure 
you  from  all  evil ;  yea,  he  will  turn  evil  into  good,  and 
bring  the  grfeateft  good  to  you  out  of  the  greateft  ca- 
lamity and  evil.  He  is,  in  the  moft  eminent  fenfe,  the 
friend  and  brother  who  was  born  for  adverfity.  He  is 
able  and  ready  to  help  in  the  moft  adverfe,  evil  cafe, 
where  no  other  friend  can  help  and  deliver.  This  is 
his  peculiar  work,  and  which  is  his  glory."  He  is 
anointed  to  preach  the  gofpel  to  the  poor,  to  bind  up 
the  broken  hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to  the  cap- 
tives, and  recovering  of  fight  to  the  blind ;  to  fet  at 
liberty  thofe  that  are  bruifed,  to  comfort  all  that 
mourn,  to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  afhes,  the  oil  of 
joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praife  for  the  fpirit 
oi  heavinefs. 

O,  how  much  do  you  want  fuch  a  friend  as  this  I 
How  miferable  muft  you  be  without  him  !  What  a 
comfort  will  fuch  a  friend  be  in  the  various  calamities 
in  this  life !  His  name  is  as  aftrons:  tower  :  the  ng:hteous, 
his  true  friends,  run  into  it,  and  are  fafe.  How  much 
will  you  want  fuch  a  friend,  when  you  come  to  die ! 
one  who  has  conquered  death,  and  taken  away  his 
fting,  and  turned  him  into  a  friend  to  his  people  :  and 

over 


142  APPLICATION.  SerM.    VIIT. 

over  fuch  the  fecond  death  fhall  have  no  power.  What 
have  you  to  object  againft  entering  into  this  friendlhip 
without  delay  ?  Have  you  any  objections  againft  Chrift, 
as  not  being  fuch  an  one  as  you  want  and  defire  ?  O, 
let  not  one  of  you  fay  fo  !  How  fliall  we  bear  to  have 
our  deareft  and  moft  excellent  friend  thus  fpoken 
againft,  and  fet  at  nought !  O  ye  friends  of  Chrift,  do 
not  your  hearts  bleed  when  your  beft  beloved  friend  is 
thus  contemned  and  wounded  !  And  do  you  not  pity 
thefe  poor,  deluded  creatures,  who  are  thus  abufing  the 
kindeft  friend  of  iinncrs,  to  their  own  eternal  ruin ! 
Surely  this  is  the  language  of  your  hearts,  O  fmners ! 
You  have  a  thoufand  objections  againft  him.  He  has  in 
3'our  eyes  no  form  nor  comelinefs,  no  beauty,  that  you 
iliould  dehre  him ;  therefore  he  is  defpifed  and  rejected 
by  you. 

Or  do  you  object  againft  yourfelves,  as  too  mean, 
guilty  and  unworthy  to  be  received  and  loved  by  fuch 
a  friend,  fo  that  it  would  be  prefumption  in  you  to 
think  of  entering  into  fuch  a  near  union  and  friendfliip 
with  him  ?  This  objection  is  altogether  groundlefs  : 
was  it  not  fo,  he  never  would  have  admitted  one  of  the 
fallen  race  into  this  happy,  high  and  noble  friendftiip  ; 
for  this  objection,  if  it  were  one,  lies  with  infinite 
weight  and  ftrength  againft  them  all.  Do  you  find 
that  Chrift  has  any  where  made  this  objection  againft 
any,  in  his  word  ?  Surely  no !  fo  far  from  this,  that  he 
has  done  and  faid  every  thing  he  poffibly  could,  to  fliew 
that  this  is  not  the  leaft  objection  with  him,  and  never 
<lid,  nor  e\'^er  will,  make  it  againft  the  moft  vile,  guilty 
wretch  among  mankind,  who  is  willing  to  be  his  friend, 
and  choofes  him  for  his  friend  and  redeemer.  Your 
guilt,  vilenefs  and  mifery  will  be  many  ways  an  advan- 
tage to  this  peculiar  friendfliip,  as  has  been  Ihewn ;  and 
will  be  fo  far  from  being  a  diftionour  to  this  glorious 
Friend  of  finners,  though  be  take  you  into  the  neareft 
and  deareft  relation  and  friendftiip  with  himfelf,  that  it 
will  turn  greatly  to  his  honour  and  glory.    Let  this 

thea 


SeRM.    VIII.  APPLICATION.  1 43 

then  rather  be  an  argument  with  you  to  give  yourfelve^ 
up  to  him  without  delay,  as  your  almighty,  wonderful, 
excellent  friend. 

IV.  Let  the  profefTed  friends  of  Jefus  Chrift  be  hence 
led  ferioufly  to  confider  their  diftinguifhing  privileges, 
and  high  and  peculiar  obligations.  Your  profefiion 
and  calling  is  a  holy,  high  and  heavenly  one  indeed. 
How  amazingly  dreadful  to  be  found  at  laft,  after  all 
your  profeflion  and  hopes,  thofe  to  whom  Chrift  will 
lay,  "  I  never  knew  you  :  Depart  from  mc,  ye  workers 
of  iniquity !"  O  give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling 
and  eledion  furc.  Cleave  to  this  infinitely  excellent 
and  glorious  friend  with  your  whole  hearts,  and  in  all 
your  ways.  O  love  him,  and  he  will  love  you ;  he 
will  manifeft  himfelf  unto  you,  in  all  the  wonders  of 
his  love  and  grace  ;  he  will  come  unto  you,  and  take 
up  his  abode  with  you.  Shall  the  friends  of  Chrift  fuf- 
fer  themfelves  to  get  at  a  diftance  from  him,  and  let 
their  hearts  fmk  down  into  a  great  degree  of  indiffe- 
rence and  coldnefs  towards  him  I  Shall  they  cleave  and 
bow  down  to  fome  other  friend,  which  courts  their  af- 
fedions !  Shall  they  turn  away  from  him,  and  feek  to 
make  friendfliip  with  this  world,  which  is  enmity 
againft  Chrift  ?  If  there  are  any  fuch,  they  may  with 
great  propriety  be  addrefted  in  the  words  of  Abfalom 
to  Huftiai :  "  Is  this  thy  kindnefs  to  thy  friend  !  Why 
wenteft  thou  not  with  thy  friend  ?'*  What  fault  have 
you  found  in  him,  that  you  treat  him  fo  r*  Are  you  not, 
in  a  fenfe,  betraying  him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  ? 
Shall  he  be  thus  wounded  in  the  houfe  of  his  profefl'ed 
friends ! 

Oh  hearken  to  his  fweet  and  charming  voice,  while 
he  calls  to  you  in  fuch  melting  language  as  this  :  "  Look 
unto  me,  my  fpoufe,  from  the  Iion*s  dens,  from  the 
mountains  of  the  leopards.  Return  unto  me,  for  I  am 
married  unto  you.  Hearken,  O  daughter,  and  incline 
thine  ear  ;  forget  alfo  thine  own  people,  and  thy  father's 
houfe  ;  fo  fhall  the  king  greatly  defire  thy  beauty  :  for 
he  is  thy  Lord,  and  wgrihip  thou  him."     O,  if  you 

have 


144 


APPLICATION\  SeRivT^    VIIL 


have  a  l^^ark  of  true  love  and  fiiendfhip  for  him,  how 
can  you  forbear  faying,  and  refolving  with  your  whole 
heart,  "  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  fuft  hufband,  for 
then  it  was  better  with  me  than  now."  Take  with 
you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  your  Friend  and  Re- 
deemer :  fay  unto  him,  "  Take  away  all  our  iniquity, 
nnd  receive  us  gracioufly  into  thy  favour,  and  the  moll 
kind  embraces  of  thy  love  :  fo  will  we  render  thee  our 
whole  fouls  in  the  moft  ardent  love,  gratitude  and 
praife."  He  will  then  heal  your  backUidings,  and  love 
you  freely. 

Let  the  dear  friends  of  Chrift  hold  fall  their  profeflion 
without  wavering,  and  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord. 
Cleave  to  him,  let  it  coft  you  v^hat  it  will ;  and  hold 
yourfelves  in  readinefs  to  part  with  all,  even  your  own 
lives,  for  him.  If  ye  fuffer  in  his  caufe,  as  his  friends 
and  followers,  happy  are  ye.  Bleffed  are  ye  when  men 
fhall  revile  you,  and  perfecute  you,  and  fay  all  manner 
of  evil  againft  you  falfely,  for  his  fake.  Rejoice,  and 
be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven, 
if  there  be  therefore  any  confolation  in  Chrift,  if  any 
comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowftiip  of  the  Spirit,  if  any 
bowels  and  mercies,  fulfil  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be  like 
minded,  having  the  fame  love  to  Chrift  and  to  one 
another.  If  ye  be  indeed  rifen  with  Chrift,  feek  thofe 
things  which  are  above,  where  Chrift  fitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  God.  Sec  your  affedion  on  things  above,  not 
on  things  on  the  earth  :  and  when  Chrift,  the  chief 
Ihepherd  and  your  friend,  ihall  appear,  you  fliall  appear 
with  him  in  glory ;  and  ye  fhall  receive  a  crown  of 
cverlafting  glory,  and  reign  with  him  in  his  kingdom 
forever.     Amen. 


SERMON 


I'  KxnL'M.:ti  p.wiw  iB'i'T  in. II III 'i , r 


pennon  ix. 


WRITTEN     IN     THE    YEAR     I798. 


Phil.  ii.  12,  13.  I'Vork  out  your  own  fahatim  ivitb  feat" 
and  trembling  :  for  it  is  God  who  %vorketh  in  you,  both  to 
lOill  and  to  de,  of  his  good  plcafure^ 

XT  is  propofed  to  explain,  illuflrate  and  innprove  this 
pailage  of  holy  fcripture  with  a  view  to  promote  the 
knowledge  and  praftice  of  thofe  exercifes  and  duties  in 
which  re'al  Chriftianity  confifts,  and  by  which  it  is  dif- 
tinguilhed  from  all  counterfeits. 

In  order  to  this,  the  following  things  muft  be  attend- 
ed to,  and  with  care  diftincliy  examined. 

I.  What  is  meant  by  Chriftians  working  out  their 
own  falvation,  and  in  what  this  work  confifts. 

II.  Wl\at  is  meant  by  dding  this  with  fear  and 
trembling. 

III.  What  is  to  be  nnderftood  by  God's  working  in 
them,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  plcafure. 

IV.  Wherein,  and  in  what  refpeds,  this  affords  a 
reafon  and  motive  to  enforce  the  foregoing  exhortation, 
expreffed  by  the  particle  For,  by  which  the  fentence  is 
introduced :  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you,  &c. 

V.  Improve  the  fubject  to  pradtical  purpofes. 

I.  We  are  to  confider  and  Ihew  what  is  intended  and 
implied  in  Chriftians  working  out  their  own  falvation. 
For  it  muft  be  obferved,  and  kept  in  mind,  while  at- 
tending to  this  fubjeft,  that  the  Apoftie  is  here,  and  in 
the  whole  of  this  epiftle,  addrelTmg  none  but  thoie 
whom  he  confiders  to  be  real  Chriftians,  "  faints  in 
Chrift  Jefus  ;"  [chap.  i.  vcrfe  i  ;]  in  whom  God  had  be- 
gun a  good  work,  which  he  would  perform  until  the 
day  of  Jefus  Chrift ;  \y.  6  ;]  who  not  only  believed  on 
U  Chrift, 


J4^  HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         SeRM.    IX. 

Chrift,  but  alfo  fuiTered  for  his  flike,  [i*.  29,]  and  had  al- 
ways obeyed  Chrift  firice  they  liril  believed:  [chap.  ii.  i  2,^ 

By  faivation  we  are  to  underlband,  eternal  life,  which 
conlifts  in  deliverance  from  fin  and  all  evil,  and  being 
made  perfectly  holy  and  happy  in  the  cnjo)'ment  and 
favour  of  God  in  his  eternal  kingdom.  I'his  is  the 
liope  which  Chriftians  are  called  by  Chrift  to  confider 
and  purfuc;  the  prize  fet  up  before  them,  for  which  they 
are  commanded  to  run. 

The  Chriilian  worketh  out  this  as  his  own  faivation^ 
by  avoiding  and  renouncing  every  thing  which  is  in  the 
way  of  obtaining  it,  and  vv'ould  effeclually  prevent  it, 
if  it  were  not  given  up  and  rejecled  ;  by  furmounting 
and  overcoming  all  the  oppofition  and  difficulties  which 
\vould  retard  and  obftruct  him  in  his  \\'ork ;  by  his 
faithfully  performing  all  thofe  exercifes,  duties  and 
works  wisich  are  included  in  the  life  of  a  Chriilian,  and 
nccellary  in  order  to  his  faivation. 

When  a  perfon  is  truly  converted,  and  becomes  a  real 
Chriftian,  a  true  ciifciple  of  Chrift,  he  then  bcgms  this 
great  work,  which  is  not  fmifhed  till  he  leaves  thisftate 
of  trial,  and  paiTes  into  the  unfeen  world  by  death. 
This  is  the  moft  noble  and  important  work,  as  well  as 
the  greateft  and  moft  difficult,  in  which  any  of  the 
children  of  men  can  engage  ;  and,  as  will  appear  before 
we  have  finifhtd  the  lubicct,  inlinitely  too  great,  and 
altogether  impoffiblc,  to  be  performed  by  fallen  man, 
vmlefs  ftrengthencd  and  carried  through  it  by  the  power 
and  grace  of  the  maghty  Redeemer. 

This  work  of  Chriftians  is  reprefented  and  defcribed 
in  the  fcripture  by  a  variety  of  exprcffions  and  meta- 
phors, too  many  to  be  here  particularly  enumerated. 
It  will  be  fufficient  for  the  preleut  purpofe  to  mention 
the  f olio  win  0". 

Our  Saviour  foeaks  of  this  work  in  tlie  following 
words  :  "  And  he  faid  unto  them  all.  if  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himfelf,  and  take  up  his 
crofs  daily,  and  follow  me.'*  The  apoitle  Paul  deicribes 
this  work  of  a  Chriftian  by  telling  how  he  worked  out 

his 


SeRM.    IX.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  1 47 

his  own  falvation:  "And  herein  do  I  exerclfe  myfclf, 
to  have  always  a  confcience  void  of  offence,  toward  God 
and  toward  men.  I  follow  after,  that  I  may  apprehend 
that  for  which  alfo  I  am  apprehended  by  Chrill  Jefus, 
I  count  not  myfelf  to  have  apprehended  :  but  this  one 
thing  I  do,  forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  unto  thofe  things  \vhich  are  before,  I 
prefs  toward  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Chrift  Jefus.  I  have,  fought  a  good  fight,  I 
have  fmiflied  my  courfe,  I  have  kept  tlie  faith.  Hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  rightcoufnefs/^ 

Jefus  Chrift  reprefents  this  work  by  a  warfare,  in 
which  the  foldiers  follow  their  general  to  battles  and. 
lieges,  in  which  they  refolutely  prefs  forward  to  con- 
queft.  He  fays,  ''•  the  kingdom  of  heaven  fulfcreth  vio- 
lence, and  the  violent  take  it  by  force.'*  And  this  is 
repeatedly  reprefented  by  the  fame  thing  in  the  Reve- 
lation, where  he  often  promifes  falvation  to  him  who 
overccmeth. 

The  apoftle  Paul  reprefents  the  work  of  a  Cliriftian 
by  thofe  who  llrive  for  the  maftery  over  thofe  who  op- 
pofed  and  fought  againft  tliem  ;  and  who  ran  in  a  race, 
in  order  to  obtain  a  crown,  in  the  midft  of  a  number 
of  competitors  :  "  Know  ye  not  that  they  who  run  in 
a  race  run  all,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize  ?  So  run, 
that  ye  may  obtain.  And  every  man  who  ftriveth  for 
the  maftery  is  temperate  in  all  things.  Nov/  they  do 
this  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but  we  an  incor- 
ruptible." And  he  defcribes  the  fame  work  in  the  fol- 
lowing paffiiges  :  "  God  will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  deeds  :  to  them  who  by  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well<loing  feek  for  glory,  and  honour,  and 
immortality,  eternal  life.  Therefore,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, be  ye  ftedlaft,  unmovcable,  always  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  forafmuch  as  ye  know  that  your 
labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  But  thou,  O  man  of 
God,  flee  thefc  things  ;  and  follow  after  right eoufnefs, 
godiinefs,  faith,  love,  patience,  meeknefs.  Fight  the 
good  fight  of  faith,  lav  hold  on  eternal  life." 


34S  HOW    CKRISTIAl^TS    WORK    OUT         SeRM.    IX. 

But,  in  order  to  give  a  more  particular  and  full  de- 
fcription  of  this  work,  and  fhew  what  is  implied  in  it, 
that  every  one  may  be  in  fome  meafure  fenfible  of  the 
greatncfs  and  difficulty  of  it,  this  fubjecl  requires  yet 
further  attention,  and  more  clear  iUuilration  from  what 
is  faid  of  it  in  the  holy  fcripture.  This  will  be  attempt- 
ed under  the  following  heads. 

Tirjl.  In  working  out  their  own  falvation  perfons 
muft  avoid,  forfake  and  renounce  every  way  or  practice 
of  known  and  allowed  fin. 

The  fcripture  teaches  us  that  the  allowed  practice  of 
any  one  way  of  known  fm  is  not  the  way  to  heaven, 
but  will  certainly  exclude  men  from  falvation,  though 
they  Ihould  avoid  all  other  ways  of  finning,  and  what- 
ever pains  they  may  take  in  doing  many  things,  and 
though  they  may  make  a  high  profeflion  of  godlinefs, 
and  appear  to  have  a  great  religious  zeal.  The  apoftle 
John  fays,  "  Whofoever  abideth  in  him  (that  is  in 
Chrift)  linneth  not  :  whofoever  finnethj  hath  not  feen 
him,  neither  known  him.  He  that  committeth  fm  is 
of  the  devil.  Whofoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  com^ 
mit  fin."  He  does  not  mean  that  he  does  in  no  fenfe 
fin,  and  is  perfectly  free  from  all  fin  ;  for  this  would  be 
a  direct  contradiclion  to  what  he  had  before  afferted, 
viz.  "  If  we  fay  we  have  no  fin,  we  deceive  ourfelves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.''  By  fmning  and  commit- 
tirg  fin  is  therefore  meant,  living  in  the  allowed  prac- 
tice of  any  knovv'n  fin,  or  omiflion  of  any  known  duty. 
"  They  who  are  Chrift's  have  crucified  the  flefh,  with 
the  affections  and  lufls."  The  gofpel  teaches  them  to, 
deny  all  ungodlinefs,  and  e^uery  worldly  luil,  as  the  only 
way  to  obtain  falvation.  They  who  are  working  out 
their  own  falvation  "  are  undefiled  in  their  way,  they 
do  no  iniquity,  and  have  refpect  to  all  God's  command- 
ments." 

They  mufl  not  only  avoid  all  grofsly  fmful  anions, 
and  live  what  is  called  a  fbber  and  regular  life,  but  they 
muil  fo  govern  their  tongues  as  carefully  to  avoid  every 
fmful  and  even  idle  word.     The  command  is, "  Let  no 

corrupt 


ISSRM.    IX.  THflR.    OWN    SALVATTON"*     .  149 

corrupt  communication  proceed  cut  of  your  mouth,  but 
that  which  is  good,  to  the  ufe  of  edifying,  that  it  may 
miniftcr  grace  unto  the  hearers  :"  \^Ejj/j.  iv.  29.]  And 
it  is  declared  by  the  higiieft  authority,  that  "  ibr  every 
-  idle  word  that  men  fhall  fpeak,  they  Ihall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment :"  \_Miitib.  xii.  36.]  And 
an  apoftle  fays,  "  If  any  man  feem  to  be  religious,  and 
bridleth  not  his  tongue,  this  man's  religion  is  vain  :** 
\_Jam.  I.  26.] 

And  they  muft  watch  againft,  avoid  and  fupprefs  all 
•finful,  vain  and  idle  thoughts  and  imaginations  in  their 
own  hearts.  They  mud  keep  their  hearts  with  all  dili- 
gence, and  not  fuffer  any  vain  thoughts  to  lodge  with- 
in them.  They  muft  oppofe,  fight  againft  and  mortify 
every  lull,  every  fmful  motion,  difpoiition  or  inclina- 
tion in  their  heart,  and  not  indulge  any  vain  imagina- 
tions. The  heart  is  the  feat  and  fountain  of  every 
thing  which  is  linful.  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil 
ihoughtSy  and  every  lin  which  is  brought  forth  into  prac- 
tice, in  words  and  actions.  All  moral  evil  vv'hich  is  or 
has  been  in  the  world  originates  in  the  heart.  The 
Chriflian  therefore  has  a  conflant,  great  and  diflicult 
work  to  do  in  keeping  his  own  heart,  in  watching 
againft  and  ftriving  to  fupprefs  every  thought  and  mo- 
tion which  is  contrary  to  the  holy  law  of  God,  which 
has  a  primary  refpecl  to  the  heart,  and,  by  requiring 
every  thought  and  exercife  of  it  to  be  holy,  forbids  eve- 
ry motion  and  thought  which  is  not  conformable  to 
this  holy  law. 

Under  this  head  it  will  be  needful  to  be  more  parti- 
cular. 

I.  All  feliifh,  covetous  thoughts  and  affeclions  muft 
be  oppofed  and  fuppreffed.  A  fclfilh  difpoiition,  and 
all  felfifh  thoughts,  are  covetoufiiefs,  in  the  moft  proper 
and  exteniive  fenfe  of  the  word.  And  this  difpofitioa 
of  the  heart  is  the  root  and  fource  of  all  lin,  or  of  every 
thing  wrong  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  or  of  all 
that  is  forbidden  in  the  lav/  of  God.  Therefore  St. 
Vd.\x\  fpeaks  cf  cqvetoufnefs  as  comprehending  all  fm, 

which 


150  KOMT    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         SeRM.    IX, 

which  is  forbidden  in  the  law  of  God,  in  the  following 
words  :  "  I  had  not  known  lin  but  by  the  law  :  for  I  had 
not  known  lull  except  the  law  had  faid,  Thou  jJmlt  mt 
ccroct ;"  \Rom.  vii.  7.]  It  hence  appears  tliat  a  covetous 
fpirit  is  directly  oppofed  to  what  the  law  of  God  requiresj 
and  this  with  the  fruits  of  it  is  all  that  is  forbidden. 
Selfiftincfs  feeks  her  own  wholly,  and  nothing  elfe  ;  and 
therefore  is  direclly  contrary  to  that  holy,  diiinterefted 
benevolent  love,  which  the  law  of  God  requires,  and 
which  the  Apofde  fays  "  feeketh  not  her  own/*  Man 
is  naturally  wholly  under  the  power  of  this  felfifhnefs 
in  all  his  thoughts  and  aclions  ;  and  the  Chriftian  has 
as  much  of  this  in  his  heart,  as  he  has  of  fin  ;  and  to 
be  delivered  from  every  degree  of  felhlh  thoughts  and 
aifeftions,  will  complete  his  Mvation.  Therefore,  in 
working  out  his  own  falvation,  he  muft  feek  delive- 
rance from  this  giant,  fciffhncfs,  and  Vv^atch  and  oppofe 
all  the  motions  of  it,  which  will  intrude  itfelf  and  mix 
with  everv  thou'^'Ut  and  cxercife  of  tlie  heart,  and  ftrive 
for  the  dominion,  and  that  in  a  fecret  and  unperceiv- 
ed  way,  putting  on  the  appearance  of  benevolence 
and  goodncfs,  not  to  be  difcovered  and  detected  but  by 
the  difcerning  mind,  which  is  conftantly  on  the  watch 
againfl  it. 

This  feififlmefs  implies  all  other  evil  thoughts,  as  it 
is  the  root  of  all  fm,  as  has  been  obferved  ;  but  as  thefe 
evil  thoughts  arc  ranked  under  diflfcrent  names,  as  they 
refped:  diverfe  objects,  and  produce  a  variety  of  diffimi- 
lar  aclions,  it  is  proper  to  conlidcr  them  under  diftinct 
heads  according  to  their  particular  names,  in  order  to 
give  a  more  clear  and  full  view  of  the  thoughts  and  af- 
fections which  the  Chriftian  muft  oppofe  and  mortify, 
ill  order  to  work  out  hi§  own  falvation. 

2.  Chriftians  muft  watch  againft  and  oppofe  all 
proud  thoughts,  or  the  pride  of  their  own  hearts, 
would  they  work  out  their  own  Hilvation.  Pride  is 
lelliflinefs,  or  a  fruit  of  it,  which  conftfts  in  a  difpofition 
to  exalt  felf,  and  induces  perfons  to  think  more  highly 
pf  themfeives  than  they  ought  to  think.     Againft  fuck 

thought^ 


SeRM.    IX.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  I5I 

thoughts  the  apoftle  Paul  cautions  Chrifrians,  and  com- 
mands them  to  fupprefs  and  extinguifh  them :  "  I  fay 
to  every  man  who  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  him- 
felf  more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think  :"  [_Rcm.  xiu 
3.J  Our  Saviour  frequently  inculcated  the  neceflity  of 
mortifying  pride,  and  putting  on  humility,  in  order  to 
be  faved.  He  repeatedly  faid  that  he  \\'ho  exalteth 
himfelf  fliall  be  abafed,  and  he  who  humbletli  liimfclf 
ihall  be  exalted.  The  apoftles  commanded  men  to 
humble  themfelves  in  the  light  of  God,  as  tlie  only  way 
to  favour,  and  directed  Chriftians  to  be  clothed  with 
humility. 

Fallen  man  is  naturally  under  the  dominion  of  felnfii- 
nefs  and  pride.  He  is  exceeding  proud ;  by  which  all 
his  thoughts,  words  and  actions  are  governed,  even 
when  lie  puts  on  the  appearance  and  pretence  of  humi- 
lity. This  his  pride  is  mofl  unreafonablc,  and  the  fource 
of  conftant  unliappinefs ;  while  there  is  the  higheii  rca- 
fon  for  the  deepeft  humiliation,  in  a  view  and  fcnih  of 
the  inliriite  odioufncfs  of  his  charafter  and  conduct,  and 
his  unfpealvable  guilt  and  mifery,  being  the  objcd  of 
the  high  difpleafurc  and  awful  curfe  of  his  Maker.  But 
it  is  always  true  that  the  more  rcafon  men  have  for  hu- 
mility, and  the  more  unreafonablc  their  pride  is,  their 
pride  is  proportionably  greater,  and  their  hearts  are 
more  flrongly  oppofed  to  humbling  themfelves*  It  i? 
the  nature  of  pride  to  hide  itfelf  from  the  perfon  wlio 
has  it  •,  and  he  who  has  the  moil  of  it  is  the  fartheft 
from  being  fenfible  that  he  has  any  pride.  And  he  on- 
ly fees  his  own  pride  in  any  degree  of  true  Ir-ght  in 
whofe  heart  the  power  of  it  fo  far  brol-ien  as  to  exer- 
cife  a  degree  of  true  hundlity  ;  which  is  true  of  every 
Chrlilian.  And  even  he  is  far  from  ieeinc^  the  whole 
of  his  pride,  and  it  often  deceives  him.  It  dwells  in  it 
great  meafure  unfcen  in  his  heart ;  and  it  mixes  itfelf 
with  ail  his  thoughts,  and  is  crratilied  in  words  and  ar- 
lions,  while  it  is  not  directly  perceived,  and  is  called,  it 
may  be,  by  fome  good  oame,.  and  even  looked  upon  to 
he  real  huxnility. 


tjl  HOW   CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         SeRM.    IX. 

Pride  has  different  objecls,  and  fupports  and  cxerci- 
"fes  itfelf  in  ways  and  by  me:ins  innumerable.  It  is  ex- 
ercilcd  towards  God,  fo  far  as  he  comes  into  view,  in 
mean,  degrading  thoughts  of  the  Mod  High,  and  higli 
and  exalting  thoughts  of  felf;  in  haughty  ilubbornnefs 
to  his  authority,  and  difobedience  to  his  law ;  in  fet- 
ting  a  high  value  on  Iiis  own  exercifes,  which  he  calls 
i^eiigious,  fc  as  to  be  confident  they  are  highly  pleafing 
to  his  Maker,  kc.  kc.  It  is  exercifed,  as  it  refpefts 
men  and  himfelf,  in  a  manner  and  ways  too  many  to 
be  enumerated  here. 

The  gofpel  is  levelled  direoily  againft  the  pride  of 
man,  and  is  calculated  to  exalt  God,  and  abafe  man  ; 
fb  that  none  but  thofe  who  humble  themfelves  in  the 
fight  of  the  Lord  can  approve  of  the  way  of  falvation 
by  Chrift,  or  go  one  ilep  in  it.  Every  true  Chriftian 
has  thus  hum.bled  himfelf;  fo  that  the  dominion  of 
pride  is  broken  in  his  heart.  He  has  come  to  Chrifl:. 
and  taken  his  yoke  upon  himfelf,  and  learned  of  him 
who  is  meek  and  lowly  in  heart;  and  walks  humbly 
with  God,  and  before  men,  in  a  viev/  and  fenfe  of  his 
own  vile,  odious  character,  his  unworthinefs,  littlenefs 
and  ill-defert  before  God,  and  his  abfolute  dependence 
on  him,  of  whom  he  has  the  higheft,  moft  exalted  and 
honourable  thou2:hts.  He  deli2;hts  to  abafe  himfelf,  and 
exult  the  Lord,  trufting  wholly  to  the  atonem.ent  and 
righteoufnefs  of  the  Redeemer  for  pardon  and  accep- 
tance with  God.  But  the  Chriftian  is  far  from  deli- 
verance from  all  pride.  He  has  a  degree  of  true  humi- 
lity, and  in  the  hght  of  this  difcovers  his  ov.-n  pride,  as 
he  never  did  before,  which  appears  to  him  to  be  exceed- 
ing odious  ;  and  the  many  inilanccs  of  the  exercile  of 
ity  which  he  fees  in  his  own  heart  and  practice,  are  made 
the  occafion  of  promoting  his  humility,  and  of  hum- 
bling him  in  his  own  eyes.  And  it  requires  conflant 
watchfulnefs  and  exertion  of  a  Chrijllan  to  fight  againft, 
fupprefs  and  mortify  the  pride  of  his  own  heart,  in 
which  he  is  working  out  his  own  falvation  ;  for  he  can- 
not be  faved  in  any  other  way,  noi"  iintil  all  his  pride 
be  ilain>  ajidiVe 'is  completely  delivered' from  it.  a  it 


SeRM.    IX.  THEIR   OWK    SALVATION*  153 

All  this  is  illuftrated  in  the  inftance  of  king  Hczcki- 
ah.  He  was  a  good  man,  and  had  been  truly  huffnbled  ; 
and  rcfolved  to  walk  foftly  and  humbly  all  his  days. 
But  on  a  certain  occafion  he  was  led  aftray  by  his  own 
pride  and  vanity  of  mind,  which  v/as  not  perceived  by 
him  in  the  time  of  his  gratifying  it.  His  fmful  heart 
deceived  him,  and  was  lifted  up  in  pride.  But  when 
this  was  difcovered  to  him,  he  humbled  himfclf  for  the 
pride  of  his  heart ;  as  it  proved  the  occafion  of  his  fee- 
ing more  clearly  than  before  all  that  was  in  his  deprav- 
ed heart :  [fee  2  Chron,  xxxii.  25,  26,  31  ;  Ifai.  xxxviii. 

3.  The  Chriftian,  in  working  out  his  own  Hdvation, 
has  to  watch  againft  all  anger,  wrath,  bittcrnefs,  en\y, 
and  malevolence,  even  in  the  thoughts  and  motions  of 
his  lieart.  All  thefe  are  implied  in  feliiihnefs  and  pride, 
and  arc  the  genuine  offspring  and  fruit  of  thofe  evil  dif- 
pofitions,  which,  being  indulged  and  gratified,  produce 
all  the  angry  clamours,  contentions,  fightings,  wars,  mur- 
ders, and  the  various  kinds  of  injuries,  unrighteoufnefs 
and  opprefTions,  which  take  place  among  mankind.  The 
Chriftian,  from  the  remaining  depravity  of  his  heart, 
and  the  many,  various  and  daily  temptations,  injuries 
and  provocations,  is  in  conitant  danger  of  having  forae 
or  all  of  thefe  evil  thousrhts  and  motions  rife  in  hi^ 
heart,  and  of  indulging  them  in  a  fmfui  degree.  He 
muit  therefore  keep  up  a  continual  watch  and  fight 
againft  all  thefe  ;  conftantiy  endeavouring  to  guard  him- 
felf  againft  them,  that  he  may  avoid  or  fupprefs  them 
in  their  iirit  motions,  and  prevent  their  breaking  forth 
into  v/ords  and  actions.  And  without  this  he  cannot 
work  out  his  own  falvation.  In  order  to  be  flivcd  he 
muil  mortify  all  thefe,  and  endeavour  to  cultivate  an  un- 
rufHed,  calm.,  patient,  meek  and  quiet  fpirit,  and  live  in. 
the  exercifc  ot  that  benevolence  of  heart  Vv'hich  is  con- 
trary to  angery  vrrath,  envy  and  malice,  arid  v.'iil  fupprefs 
and  ro-^t  ihcm  out.  The  apoltle  James  therefore  fay.'^ 
to  protriUng  Chriftians,  "  If  ye  have  bitter  envying  and 
ftrifc  In  your  hearU,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  againfc  the 

X  truth. 


'J^4  ^^^^^    CHRISTIANS   WORK    OUT         SeJIM.   IX. 

truth.  This  wifdom  defccndcth  not  from  above,  but  is 
earthly,  fenfual,  devilifh  :"  [y^/7?.  3,  14,  15.3  And  the 
apoftJc  Paul  fays  to  fuch,  "  Let  all  bitternefs,  and  wrath, 
•and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  evil  fpeaking,  be  put  away 
from  you,  with  all  malice:'*  [£/>/?.  4.  31.] 

4.  Would  Chriftians  work  out  their  own  falvation, 
ihey  muft  not  indulge,  but  avoid  and  fupprefs,  a  worlds 
ly  difpolition  and  affections.  All  men  are  naturally  of 
the  earth  and  earthly.  They  love  the  world,  and  feek 
a  worldly  good  as  their  portion  :  they  fet  their  hearts 
and  afiedions  on  the  things  of  this  world  :  they  fpeak 
of  the  w^orld,  and  therefore  think  much  of  it,  and  take 
their  greatell  and  only  pleafure  in  the  purfuits  and  en- 
joyments of  this  world.  The  Chriftian  is  no  longer  of 
this  vv^orld,  but  has  renounced  it  as  his  portion,  and  cho- 
fen  that  which  is  infinitely  better.  But  as  he  has  ftill  a 
degree  of  a  worldly  difpofition,  and  is  furrounded  with 
worldly  objects,  and  muft  have  much  concern  with  them, 
they  are  conftantly  courting  his  affection,  he  is  continu- 
ally in  danger  of  being  led  aftray,  and  fetting  his  affec- 
tion on  things  on  the  earth.  It  therefore  requires  con- 
ftant  care,  watchfulncfs  and  exertion  in  order  to  scuard 
againft,  and  fupprefs  and  mortify,  all  worldly  affection, 
in  the  exercife  of  that  faith  which  overcometh  the 
world,  and  leads  the  foul  to  fet  its  whole  affection  on 
thinccs  which  arc  above,  and  not  on  thins-s  oil  the  earthy 
and  to  keep  the  heart  from  a  fniful  love  of  tlie  \vorld  and 
the  things  of  the  world.  Salvation  is  to  be  obtained  in 
no  other  way  but  this,  by  which  Chriftians  are  more 
and  more  weaned  from  this  world,  and  have  their  con- 
verfation  in  heaven.  The  cares  of  this  world,  and  the 
deceitfulnefs  of  riches  and  the  pleafures  of  this  life,  being 
indulged,  choke  the  word,  and  it  becometh  unfruitful. 
Therefore  tlie  Chriftian  in  working  out  his  own  falva- 
tion muft  follow  thv  direftion  of  Jefus  Chrift,  V/ho  faid 
to  his  difciplcs,"  Taltc  heed  to  yourfelves,  watch  and  pray 
always,  ieit.  at  any  timc\  your  hearts  be  overcharged 
with  furfeiting  and  drunkcnnefs,  and  the  cares  of  this 
life  :"  ILuL'  xxi.  34,  36.} 

$.    The 


SeRM.    IX'.  THEia    OWN    SALVATIOK.  1 55 

5.  The  Chriftian's  working  out  his  own  falvation  im- 
plies a  keeping  in  fubjed:ion  and  mortifying  all  inordinate 
bodily  fenl'ual  appetites  and  lulls,  Theie  appetites  are 
given  to  men  to  anfwer  good  and  important  purpofcs, 
while  in  the  body  in  this  world :  but  become  a  temptar 
tion  to  innumerable  indulgences,  which  are  hurtful  and 
criminal,  and  are  inconfiflcnt  with  the  gofpcl  faivation  ; 
for  tliey  who  live  after  the  flcfli  (hall  die.  In  this  re- 
fped:  therefore  every  Chriftian  muft  crucify  the  flefn  with 
the  affections  and  lufts,  and  mortify  their  members  which 
are  upon  the  earth  ;  fornication,  uncleannefs,  inordinate, 
affection,  and  evil  concupifcence.  They  muft  keep  under 
their  bodies,  and  bring  them  into  fubjection,  as  the  on- 
ly way  to  efcape  deilruclion.  They  muft  avoid  the- 
practice  of  gluttony,  rioting  and  drunkennefs,  and  all, 
chambering  and  wantonnefs  ;  and  make  no  provifion 
for  the  ficfli,  to  fulfil  the  lufts  thereof  5  but  purge- 
themfelves  from  all  thefe,  that  they  may  be  veiTels  unto 
honour,  fanclified  and  meet  for  their  Mailer's  ufe  j  knov/- 
ing  that  their  bodies  are  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
..j|  .Thus,  to  keep  the  body  under,  and  regulate  and  go- 
"VTern  all  the  inclinations  and  appetites  of  it,  and  occa- 
fioned  by  it,  requires  great  and  conft?,nt  care  and 
watchfulnefs,  and  ftrong  refolution  and  fortitude  of 
.  jBiind,  and  is  no  fmall  part  of  the  work  of  a  Chriftian. 
•  6.  The  Chriftian  cannot  work  out  his  own  faivation 
unlefs  he  croifes  and  llrives  againft  an  indolent j  llothful 
difpoiition,  which  is  natural  to  man,  and  prevalent  in 
him  with  refpecl  to  all  thofe  things  and  adions  whiclv 
refpecl  his  faivation,  and  are  neceffary  in  order  to  it.. 
Hence  have  been  invented  innumerable  excufes  and  pleas 
in  favour  of  fitting  ftill,  and  neglecting  thofe  exertions 
and  duties  which  are  neceffary  to  be  performed  in  order 
to  faivation,  which  are  too  many  to  be  mentioned  here. 
Chriftians  are  expofed  to  be  infefted  and  retarded  in  their 
w-ork,  by  giving  way  to  this  flothful  difpofition,  which 
is  moft  contrary  to  the  work  they  have  to  do.  This 
requires  their  whole  time,  and  conftant  zealous  exer- 
tions, in  which  they  muft  not  be  flothful,  but  fervent 


15^  HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK   OtJT         SeRM.    IX.' 

in  fpirit,  ferving  the  Lord.  The  Chriftlan  muft  there- 
fore improve  every  opportunity,  and  all  his  advantages, 
diligently  working  while  his  day  lafts.  To  iit  Hill 
in  indolence  and  floth,  is  really  to  go  backwards.  In 
doing  this  work  the  Chriftian  inufl  do  as  the  apoftlc 
Paul  did ;  he  attended  to  this  one  bufmefs  ;  forgetting 
thofe  things  which  were  behind,  i.e.  his  former  indolence 
in,  and  deviations  from,  the  way  of  truth,  he  reached 
forth  to  thole  things  which  were  before,  he  prcffed  to- 
ward the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Chrift  Jefus. 

7.  The  work  of  a  Chriftian  confifts  much  in  watching 
and  guarding  againft,  fuppreffing  and  cr^rercoming,  the 
unbelief  of  his  heart,  and   all  unbelie^dng  thoughts. 

Faith  is  neceffary  to  falvation  ;  and  they  who  are  fav- 
ed  live  by  faith,  and  perfevere  in  believing  to  the  fav- 
ing  of  their  fouls.  The  Ifraeiites  were  excluded  from 
entering  into  the  land  of  Canaan  by  their  unbelief  ;  and 
the  fcripture  teaches  us  that  unbelief  under  the  gofp el- 
will  as  effectually  exclude  men  from  heaven  :  "  He  wha 
believeth  not  fhall  not  fee  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him,  and  he  iliall  be  damned.'* 

Believing  and  unbelief,  as  they  refpe<jt  divine  revela- 
tion or  the  golpel,  do  not  mean  merely  the  fpeculative 
judgment  or  concluiion  of  mind  refpefting  the  truth  or 
falfehood  of  the  gofpel,  or  of  any  particular  doftrines  or 
facls  which  relate  to  invilible  things.  Two  perfons  may 
be  convinced  in  their  judgment  that  there  is  good  evi* 
dence  that  the  gofpel  is  from  heaven,  and  agree  in  their 
fpeculative  fentiments  in  the  doftrines  which  are  reveal- 
ed;  and  yet  one  of  them  m.ay  be  a  true  believer,  in  the 
fcriptural  fenfe  of  believing,  and  the  other  an  unbeliev- 
er.. This  will  be  according  to  the  difpofition  and  exer- 
cifes  of  their  hearts,  with  refpeft  to  the  gofpel,  and  the 
truths  which  it  contains.  If  the  heart  of  one  of  them 
has  no  reliih  for  thefe  truths,  and  love  to  them,  but  dif- 
likes  and  is  difpleafcd  with  them,  fo  that  they  are  not 
cordially  embraced  as  good  and  excellent,  he  has  no 
true  -diicerning  refpeciing  them,  and  does  not  fee  them 

to 


SEkM.   XL  THEIR    OWN    SALVAtlbN.'     ''■  15^ 

to  be  what  they  really  are,  and  is  not  a  believer,  m  the 
Ibripture  and  proper  ienfe  of  believing.     The  other  has 
fuch  a  tafte  and  difpofition  of    mind,  that  he  rcliflies 
thefe  truths,  and  receives  them  with  cordial  approba-  • 
tion  and  love.     He  fees  them  in  a  light  of  which  the'^ 
other  has  no  apprehenfion  or  idea,  and  he  feels  them  to 
be  great  and  important  realities,  true,  excellent  and  good; 
and  they  have  fuch  an  influence  and  power  on  his  heart 
as  to  excite  ftrong  afteftions,  and  govern  him  in  all  his 
exercifes  and  condud.     This  is  a  true    beHever.     His 
faith  is  as  different  from  that  of  the  former,  as  light  is 
from  darknefs  ;  as  powerful  fenfibility  of  heart,    with 
ftrong  exercifes  of  affedion  and  love,  are  from  infenii-  ' 
bility  and  hardnefs  of  heart,  and  real  diflike  of  the  truth, 
and  averfion  from  it.  nrj^rri'i  n-*^'^  - 

True  faith,  or  a  real  belief  of  the  truths  of  the  gofpel; ' 
is  of  a  moral  nature,  and  therefore  has  its  foundation  and 
feat  in  the  heart  ;  fo  that  exercife  of  heart  is  necefla- 
rily  implied  in  it,  and  effential  to  it ;  for  every  thing  of 
a  moral  nature  belongs  to  the  heart,  and  that  in  which" 
no  difpofition  or  exercife  of  the  heart  is  implied,  has  no- 
thing of  a  moral  nature,  and  is  neither  good  nor  evil  in 
a  moral  fenfe,  i.  e.  neither  virtue  nor  vice,  which  is  true 
of  every  >thing  in  the  mind  which  confifts  in  mere  fpe- 
culation.     Therefore  we  find  that  believing  and  unbe- 
lief, as  they  refpeft  the  gofpel,  are  reprefented  in  fcrip- 
ture  as  belonging  to  the  heart,  and  an  exercife  of  that : 
*'  Wit/j  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteoufnefs,  and' 
with  the  mouth  confelTion  is  made  unto  liilvation.     If  ^ 
thou  believeft  with  all  thine  hearty  thou  mayeft.     Takc-;*- 
heed,  brethcrn,  left  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  hcart"\^ 
of  unbelief ^  in  departing  from  the  living  God.'* ' 

It  appears  from  the  paflage  of  fcripture  laft  mention- 
ed, not  only  that  unbelief  belongs  to  the  heart,  and,  be- 
ing feated  there,  is  moral  evil;  but  that  profefiing  Chrif- 
tians  are  fo  expofed  to  the  influence  of  an  unbelieving 
heart,  that  it  concern^  them  to  take  heed  to  themfelves, 
and  be  on  their  watch  and  guard  againft  the  prevalen- 
cy  of  this  evil  in  their  hearts.      And  indeed  all  true 

Chi'iftians 


^5^  HOW   CHRISTIANS    WORK   OUT         SeRM.   iXs 

Ghriftians  have  as  much  of  this  unbelief  in  their  hearts 
as  they  have  of  moral  depravity  or  fin.  Their  faith  is 
comparatavely  fmall,  and  as  a  grain  of  muftard  feed.  It 
does  exifl  and  increafes  fo  far  as  their  hearts  are  purifi- 
ed, and  they  grow  in  grace.  Yet  they  are  more  fenfi- 
ble  of  the  awful  degree  of  unbelief  in  their  hearts,  than 
any  other  perfons  are  or  can  be,  and  fee  the  evil  nature 
and  hatefulnefs  of  it. 

This  unbelief  does  not  confifts  fo  much  in  fpeculative- 
iy  queftioning  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  and  doubt- 
ing of  the  truths  contained  in  it,  as  the  want  of  fenfi- 
bly    feeling    thefe   truths    in  their  reality,    excellence 
and  importance,  and  not  being  properly  affecled  with 
them.     All  this  is  unbelief,  which  no  con\'iclion  which 
is  merely  fpeculative,  or  any  light  and  evidence  which 
can  be  ofl'ered,  by  any  external  means  and  revelation 
^r  inftructions,  M-'ill  remove,  as  it  is  properly  hardnefs 
cf  hearty     But  it  may,  and  often  does,  prejudice  and 
blind  the   fpeculative  underftanding,  fo  as  at  leaft    to 
weaken  the  evidence  of  truth  in  {peculation,  and  oc- 
cafion  fpeculative  doubts  about  it ;  and  is  the  caufe  of 
all  that  unbelief  in  fpeculation  which  takes  place  in  the 
Chriftian  world  ;  this  being  not  for  want  of  external 
light  and  matter  of  conviclion,  but  tVoin  the  blindnefs, 
and  moral  diforders  of  the  heart, 
-  The  true  Chriftian  is  fenfible  of  this,  and  that  he  has 
that  infenfibihty  of  heart  to  divine  truth,  and  that  darkr 
iiefs  and  blindnefs,  which  is  not  owing  to  any  want  of* 
light  and  evidence  which  is  fet  before  him,  but  to  the- 
flupidity,  hardnefs  and  moral  depravity  of  his  heart, > 
which  will  relift  the  greateil  light  and  matter  of  convic- 
tion that  can  be  fet  before  him,  and  the  ftrongeft  mere 
fpeculative  conviclion  of  his  judgment,  and  would  lead 
to  renounce  in  fpeculation  all  the  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  divine  revelation,  were  he  given  up  of  God  to  the 
power  and  prevalence  of  a  reprobate  mind  ;  and  that  it 
is  to  be  afcribed  to  divine  rcftraints,  or  to  the  grace  of 
God  jQiining  in  his  heart,  and  giving  him  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jefus. 

Chvift. 


j^ERM.   IX,  THEIR    OWN    SALVATIOK.  T  S9 

Chrift,  that  he  has  any  degree  of  true  faith,  and  has  not 
abandoned  hhnlelf  to  total  infidelity. 

Plis  remaining  nnbelief  appears  to  him,  efpecial- 
ly  at  times,  to  be  fo  great  and  overbearing,  that  it 
is  very  grievous,  and  as  a  heavy  burden  finks  him 
down,  as  an  unfpeakable  calamity,  and  exceeding  crimi- 
nal. Againft  this  he  has  to  watch,  ftrivc  and  pray 
continually,  and  he  can  work  out  his  falvation  in  no 
other  way.  His  conftant  petition  is,  "  Lord,  deliver 
me  from  this  evil  heart  of  unbelief.  Lord,  I  do  believe^ 
help  thou  my  unbelief,  and  incrcafe  my  faith.  Give 
me  that  faith  which  is  the  fubftance  of  things  hoped  for, 
and  the  evidence  of  things  not  feen.  May  I  never 
draw  back  to  perdition,  but  believe  to  the  faving  of 
my  foul." 

8.  The  Chriftian  cannot  work  out  his  own  falvation 
without  refifting  the  devil,  by  watching  againft  and 
oppofing  his  influence,  and  the  evil  thoughts  fuggeft- 
ed  by  him. 

The  devil  works  in  the  hearts  of  men  by  the  lufts,  de- 
praved propenfities  and  evil  thoughts  which  have  been 
mentioned.  He  is  reprefented  in  fcripture  as  taking  the 
advantage  of  the  depravity  of  man  to  fuggeft  evil 
thoughts,  and  excite  and  ftrengthen  the  lufts  of  the 
heart,  and  to  blind  the  mind  of  all  them  who  do  not  be- 
lieve ;  to  watch  and  exert  all  his  cunning  to  deceive 
and  deftroy  them.  Unregenerate,  wicked  pcrfons  are 
reprefented  to  be  wholly  under  his  power,  in  whom  he 
powerfully  workcth,  they  being  in  his  fnare,  and  led  cap- 
tive by  him  at  his  will.  And  in  order  to  perfons  be- 
ing converted  and  becoming  Chriftians,  this  ftrong  ene- 
my muft  be  difpoilcifed  of  their  hearts,  by  Chrift,  and 
they  turned  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  And 
though  Chriftians  are  lo  far  delivered  from  the  power' 
of  the  devil,  and  out  of  his  reach,  that  he  cannot  de- 
ftroy or  really  hurt  them  in  the  end;  and  he  who  is. 
Ijorn  of  God  keepeth  himfelf,  and  that  wicked  one 
toucheth  him  not ;  that  is,  is  not  able  to  deftroy  or 
hurt  them,  by  leading  them  to  fin  the  fin  unto  death,' 

or 


l6o       '  HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT        Sl^RM.    IX* 

or  to  livt.^  in  a  courfc  of  iln  ;  yet  they  are  not  out  of  the 
reach  of  his  temptations  and  aifaults,  fo  long  as  they  are 
fanclified  but  in  part,  and  live  in  this  ftate  of  imperfec- 
tion and  depravity.  Satan  provoked  king  David  to 
number  the  people  ;  and  our  Saviour  faid  to  Peter,  "  Be- 
hold, Satan  hath  deflred  to  have  you,  that  he  may  fift 
you  as  wheat."  The  apoftle  Paul  was  attended  with  a 
temptation  which  was  the  meflenger  of  Satan  to  buffet 
him.  And  even  Jcliis  Chrift,  who  had  no  depravity  to 
give  the  devil  an  advantage,  was  aflaulted  and  tempted 
by  him.  The  apoftle  Peter  directs  Chriftians  to  conii- 
der  the  devil  as  their  adverfary,  as  a  roaring  lion,  \t'alk- 
ing  about  leeking  whom  he  may  devour.  The  apoftle 
Paul,  fpealdng  in  the  name  of  all  Chriftians,  fays,  "  Wc 
wreftle  not  againft  flefli  and  blood,  but  againft  principa- 
lities, againft  powers,  againft  the  rulers  of  the  darknefs  of 
this  world,  againft  fpiritual  wickednefs  in  high  places  ;" 
and  direfts  Chriftians  to  take  to  themfelves  the  whole 
armour  of  God,  that  they  may  be  able  to  ftand  againft 
the  wiles  of  the  devil ;  and  goes  on  to  addrefs  them  in  the 
following  words  :  "  Stand,  therefore,  having  your  loins 
girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the  breaftplate  of 
righteoufnefs,  and  your  feet  ftiod  with  the  preparation 
of  the  gofpel  of  peace  ;  above  [or  over]  all,  taking  the 
ftiield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  fliall  be  able  to  quench  all 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  one.  And  take  the  helmet 
of  falvation,  and  the  fword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
word  of  God :  praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  fup- 
plication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all 
perfeverance,  and  fupplication  for  all  faints  :*'  [_Epb.  vi. 
lo,  i8.] 

In  thefc  words  great  and  conftant  work  is  prefcribcd 
to  Chriftians  in  reftfting  the  devil,  and  ftanding  their 
ground  againft  all  his  wiles  and  affaults ;  a  confiicl  too 
great  and  mighty  for  all  but  thofe  who  are  ftrong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might ;  yet  necelfary 
in  working  out  their  own  falvation.  The  apoftles  James 
and  Peter  exhort  Chriftians  to  this  fame  work  in  the 
words  following :    "  Reftft  the  devil,  and  he  wWl  flee 

trom 


'SffRM.    IX.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  l6l 

from  you.  Be  fober,  be  vigilant ;  becaufe  your  adverfd- 
ry  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about  feeking 
whom  he  may  devour  :  whom  rehl]:,  ftedfaft  in  the 
faith/' 

There  are  fome  who  profers  to  receive  the  Bible  as  a 
revelation  from  God,  who  doubt  whether  there  be  any 
devil,  or  invillble  fpirits  who  are  enemies  to  Chrift,  and 
feek  the  deftruclion  of  men.  But  furely  they  muft  be 
very  inattentiv'e  to  the  Bible  who  can  doubt  of  this. 
The  real  Chriftian  finds  the  truth  of  this  fo  abundantly 
afferted,  that  he  cannot  doubt  of  it :  and  his  own  expe- 
rience, if  properly  attended  to,  will  confirm  him  in  this. 
He  will  find  many  motions  and  fuggefi:ions  in  his  own 
mind,  which,  from  the  kind  of  them,  and  the  manner 
in  which  they  take  place,  are  evidently  from  the  agen- 
cy of  Satan.  And  he  is  warranted  from  fcripture  to 
confider  the  devil  as  having  a  hand  and  agency  in  ail 
the  fooliih  imaginations,  evil  thoughts  and  motions  of 
his  heart,  and  in  all  fin  which  he  fees  in  otiiers  ;  efpecial- 
}y  their  oppofition  to  Chrifi;  and  the  gofpel,  and  unrigh- 
teoufnefs  and  violence  towards  men  ;  for  he  is  deceiving 
the  whole  world,  and  works  in  all  the  children  of  difobe- 
dience,  and  is  attempting  to  ftir  up  all  the  corruption 
M'hich  is  in  the  hearts  of  good  men.  Therefore,  while 
Clhriftians  are  watching  againft  and  oppofing  all  their 
own  evil  propenfities,  and  acting  againil:  and  endeavour- 
ing to  fupprefs  and  counteract  the  finful  courfes  of 
others,  they  are  really  refifting  the  des41,  while  tliey  cOji- 
iider  tliemfelves  and  others  as  criminal,  for  every  evil 
motion  in  their  hearts,  and  all  wrong  conduct,  as  n 
there  were  no  devil  to  tempt  them. 
1  Ho\ve\-er  great,  difficult  and  of  long  continuance  this 
^Drk  of  rcfifting  the  devil  is,  every  Chrifi ian  muil:  ^o 
througli  it,  and  overcome,  in  order  to  obtain  hea-^en\ 
'The  Chriftian  is  in  hi mfelf  wholly  unequal  to  it,  but  by- 
C'lirift  ftrengthening  him  lie  may  go  through  it  all.  The 
Chriftian  mufi.  do  the  work,  while  in  order  to  it  he  muft 
be  ftrengtiiened  by  the  power  and  grace  of  Chrift,  hy 
whicli  he  becomes'  fttong  in  the  Lord  and  iii  the  pdvvcr 

Y'  of 


?6-2  HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         &ER.M.    %, 

of  his  might.  The  Chriftian  hac  no  reafon  to  defirt 
that  Chrifi  lliould  take  this  work  out  of  his  hands,  and 
relift  and  conquer  the  devil  and  his  lufts  without  the 
agency  of  the  Chriftian ;  but  ought  to  confider  it  as  a 
great  privilege  to  be  obliged  to  do  the  work  himfelf,  and 
conquer,  in  the  flrength  and  power  of  the  Redeemer. 


Sermon  x. 


The  fame  Subjed  continued. 


Fhil.  ii.  12,  13.  Work  out  your  ow7i  fahat'ion  iv'tih  fear 
and  tremhlini :  for  if  is  God  who  -zvorketh  in  you,  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  plsafure. 

IT  has  been  attempted  ta  fhew  in  the  preceding  difj 
courfe,  though  in  an  imperfeft,  defecT:ive  manner  and 
degree,  what  the  Chriftian  has  to  oppofe,  fupprefs,  mor- 
tify and  overcome,  in  working  out  his  own  falvation. 
This  may  be  called  the  negative  part  of  his  work,  con- 
fifting  in  renouncing  and  departing  from  evil ;  and  is 
all  comprehended  in  the  apoftoiic  injunction,  "  That  ye 
put  off,  concerning  the  former  converfatioi>,  the  old 
man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lufts  :'* 
\_Eph,  iv.  2  2.1 

Secondly.  We  come  now  to  conlider  the  pofitive  part 
of  that  work  iri  doing  which  Chriitians  work  out  their 
own  falvation,  which  is  fummarily  exprelfed  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  And  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man, 
v/hich  after  God  is  created  in  righteoufnefs  and  true 
hoiinefs." 

This  implies  much,  and  confifts  in  a  conftant,  careful 
endeavour^  to  conform  to  and  obey  the  divine  com- 
mands in  heart  and  life,  to  live  foberly,  righteoufly  and 
godly  in  all  things  to  the  end  of  life. '  This  may  be  di- 
vided 


iSeRM.    X.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  163 

vided  into  two  branches,  viz.  the  duties  of  which  God 
h  the  more  direft  object,  and  thofe  which  more  imme- 
diately refpcct  man. 

To  God  they  owe  -their  whole  felves,  and  all  they  can 
do.  They  muft  love  him  with  all  their  heart,  foul, 
ftrength  and  mind.  This  implies  a  variety  of  ftrong, 
conftant  excrcifes  of  heart  tov/ards  him,  as  he  is  reveal- 
ed in  three  perfons,  the  Father,  Soji  and  Holy  Ghofl ; 
efpecially  as  he  has  appeared  God  manifeft  in  the  flefii, 
in  the  character  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  Saviour  of  tlie 
world,  exhibited  in  his  words,  and  works  of  obedience 
and  fuiTering,  his  death,  refurrection  from  the  .dead,  af- 
cenlion  to  heaven,  and  reigning  gloriouily  there  ;  and 
in  his  revealed  future  defigns  and  works. 

They  muft  believe  in  God  and  in  Jefus  Chrift,  that  he 
is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  who  diligently  feek 
him.  They  m^uft  attend  to,  believe  and  realize  his  be- 
ing and  v/hole  character  as  he  is  revealed  in  the  Bible, 
with  all  the  important  and  leading  truths  which  are  con- 
tained in  it,  fetting  God  always  before  their  eyes,  and 
trufting  in  Chrift  for  pardon  and  complete  redemption, 
which  implies  all  they  want  or  can  deiire,  diligently 
feeking  the" divine  favour  through  him,  or  for  his  fake. 
Thus  they  muft  live  a  life  of  faith  on  the  Son  of  God, 
defiring  to  be  found  in  him,  not  having  their  own  righ- 
teoufnefs,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Chrift,  the  righteoufnefs  which  is  of  God 
by  faith  ;  heartily  dcfinng  and  feeking  his  Spirit  to 
xiwell  in  them,  and  form  their  hearts  to  every  Chriftiau 
exercife  and  duty,  and  doing  all  in  the  name  of  Chrift, 
in  the  exercife  of  a  cordial  love  of  his  whole  character, 
and  pleafmg  approbation  of  the  way  of  faivation  of  fin- 
ners  which  is  revealed  in  the  gofpel. 

They  muft-  be  heartily  devoted  to  the  glory  of  God, 
to  his  honour,  intereft  and  kingdom,  as  the  fupreme  ob- 
ject of  their  deiire  and  affection.  This  is  ncceifarily  im- 
plied in  fupreme  love  to  him,  in  which  they  give  them- 
fdves  wholly  away  to  him  in  •  the  exercife  of  the  moft. 
i^icndly,  -benevolent  love,  rejoicing  in  his  being,  felicity 

a.ncj 


164  KOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         SeEM.    X, 

and  glory.  This  is  in  a  true  and  in  the  higheft  fenfe  dif- 
interefted  affeclion,  and  neceflarily  excludes  all  felllflmelb, 
fo  far  as  it  takes  place,  as  it  cannot  proceed  from  felf-love 
as  the  ground  of  it,  but  is  directly  contrary  to  it,  as  it 
gives  up  all  feltifh  affection  and  intereft,  for  an  infinitely 
greater,  more  worthy  and  important  intereft  and  object ; 
making  the  being  of  God,  his  intereft  and  honour,  their 
fiipremxe  interelt,  the  object  of  their  higheit  regard,  and 
ultimate  end,  to  which  all  other  beings  and  interefts  are 
wholly  fubordinated,  as  not  worthy  any  regard,  but  to 
be  rejected  when  they  come  in  com.petition  with  the 
honour  and  intereft  of  this  infinitely  great,  worthy  and 
glorious  Being.  By  this  difpofition  and  exercife  of  heart 
alone  do  they  comply  with  the  apoftolic  command, 
*'  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  ye  do,  do  all 
to  the  glory  of  God.  And  that  they  who  live,  fhould 
not  henceforth  live  unto  themfelves,  but  unto  Him  who 
died  for  them  and  rofe  again."  And  thus  they  enter 
upon  and  live  a  life  of  true  and  real  felf  deniaL 

The  more  Chriitians  are  fwallowed  up  in  views  of 
the  glory  of  God,  and  their  hearts  defire  and  rejoice  in 
the  unchangeable  and  eternal  glory  and  felicity  of  the 
Infinite  Being,  as  tlie  objeft  of  their  whole  purfuit,  inte- 
reft and  happinefs,  which  does  not  confilt  in  the  leaft 
degree  in  felfiHi  affeftion  ;  the  more  is  their  own  falva- 
tion  promoted,  and  the  greater  is  their  enjoyment,  and 
the  nearer  do  they  get  to  heaven.  The  perfon  who, 
imder  the  infaience  of  felf  love,  or  felfiilinefs,  fecks  his 
own  perfonal  intereft,  honour  and  felicity  fupremely 
(and  this  is  the  unchangeable  nature  of  every  degree  of 
felf  love)  exerts  the  whole  ftrength  of  his  foul  in  dire(5l 
oppofition  to  the  Chriftian  aiTection  now  defcribed  ;  and 
as  he  regards  himfelf  fupremely,  he  fubordinates  the  be- 
ing, felicity  and  glory  of  God,  that  he  may  anfwer  his 
own  felfifn  ends  thereby,  and  cares  nothing  for  the  for- 
mer, ande  from  his  own  fuppofcd  perfonal  intereft,  or 
any  farther  than  the  latter  may  be  promoted  thereby. 
Such  an  afi'e<5tion  is  the  ftrongeft  contradiction  to  all 
truth,  and  docs  love  and  make  a  lie  in  the  higheft  and 

moil 


Serm.  X.  Their  own  salvation.  165 

moft  emphatlcal  fenfe.  If  the  fmnllefl  pebble,  or  one 
grain  of  fand,  iliould  be  felecled  and  preferred  to  the 
whole  material  world,  comprehending  this  earth,  the 
fun,  moon,  and  all  the  ftars,  and  no  ret^-ard  be  paid  to 
the  exilience,  order  and  beauty  of  the  whole,  any  far- 
ther than  they  relate  to  that  fingle  grain,  and  contribute 
to  fupport  and  favour  that  inunitely  fmall  portion  of  the 
material  world  ;  this  would  not  be  more  unreafojrable 
and  contrary  to  the  truth,  yea,  it  would  be  infinitely 
lefs  fo,  than  for  one  individual  perfon  to  pay  a  fuprcme 
regard  to  himfelf,  and  iubordinate  the  Infinite  Being  to 
his  own  private,  perfonal  intereft  and  iiappincis,  who  is 
fo  great,  u^orthy  and  glorious  that  there  is  inlinitely  lefs 
proportion  between  fuch  individual  and  Ilim,  than  there 
is  between  the  lead  grain  of  fand  and  the  whole  mate- 
rial creation. 

There  are  too  many  profefling  Chriftians  who  embrace 
and  purfue  a  fcheme  of  practical  religion  which  is  as  un- 
reafonable,  contrary  to  truth,  and  abfurd,  as  this  appears 
to  be.  They  fay  that  it  is  impofiible  for  men  to  love 
God,  fo  long  as  they  confider  him  to  be  difpleafed  with 
them,  and  think  he  does  not  love  them  ;  that  he  muft 
firft  manifell:  to  them  that  "he  is  their  friend,  and  loves 
them,  and  they  muft  believe  it,  before  they  can  love 
him  ;  that  in  this  way  they  were  brought  to  love  God, 
and  to  be  reconciled  to  his  character  and  law,  and  to  ail 
the  truths  and  duties  of  Chriftianity  ;  they  were  brought 
firft  to  fee  and  believe  that  God  loved  them,  and  on  this 
foundation  only  they  firft  began  to  love  him,  and  con- 
tinue to  be  friendly  to  him.  Thus  they  declare  that  all 
their  regard  and  love  to  God  is  nothing  but  felf  love, 
for  they  love  him  only  becaufe  he  is  a  friend  to  them, 
and  will  anfwcr  their  own  felfifli  ends,  and  promote  their 
own  perfonal,  felfifli  intereft,  and  fubordinate  their  Ma- 
ker, and  all  his  hitereft,  to  their  own  beloved  felves. 
Their  religion  is  all  built  on  an  impofiible  fuppofition,  viz. 
that  they  had  evidence  that  God  loved  them,  before  they 
had  any  love  to  him,  and  while  they  were  his  enemies ; 
which  is  directly  coivtrary  to  fcripture  and  reafon.     But 


t65  how  christians  work  out      Serm.  !f, 

if  this  were  jiot  contrary  to  fcripture,  and  a  mere  delu- 
iion,  their  love  to  God  is  as  far  from  true  friendihip  to 
him  as  darkaefs  is  from  light  ;  for  it  is  nothing  but  felf 
love  at  fecond  hand,  and  is  an  afFeclion  which  our  Sa- 
viour condemns,  as  that  which  the  mofl  wicked  man 
and  greateft  enemy  of  God  may  have.  He  fays,  "  If  yc 
love  them  who  love  you,"  (i.  e.  merely  becaufe  they 
iove  you,)  "  what  reward  have  ye  ?  Do  not  even  the 
publicans  the  famtc  P* 

The  words  of  the  apoftle  John  are  appealed  to  as  a 
fupport  wf  this  fcheme  of  religion  :  "  We  love  him  be-? 
caufe  he  firft  loved  us.'*  But  thefe  words  are  entirely 
mifundcrftood  by  them,  and  perverted  to  a  moft  injuri- 
ous and  fatal  purpofe.  The  apoftle  does  not  fay,  "  Vv^'e 
love  God  becaufe  we  firft  beheved  he  loved  us  ;"  in 
which  fenle  they  take  the  words,  in  order  to  anfwcr 
their  purpofe.  The  natural  and  plain  meaning  of  the 
'ivords,  and  which  is  pointed  out  by  the  context,  is  this  : 
*'  God  loved  us  firft,  and  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  us  ;  and 
he  has  given  us  a  heart  to  love  him,  by  which  we  have 
been  born  of  God  :  this  is  the  caufe  of  our  loving  God  : 
for  if  he  had  not  thus  firft  loved  us,  while  we  were  ene- 
mies, and  caufed  us  to  be  born  again  by  his  Spirit,  we 
iliould  not  have  loved  him  :  for  he  who  is  pot  born  of 
God  will  not  exercife  any  true  love  to  him,  though  he 
fhould  love  them,  and  tell  them  he  did  fo,  by  a  particur 
lar  revelation.  Therefore  they  who  love  God  only  up- 
on this  felfifli  ground,  and  build  all  their  rehgion  upon 
it,  however  zealous  they  may  be,  and  however  m.uch 
they  may  do,  are  not  working  out  their  own  falvation, 
but  the  contrary,  and  never  will  obtain  it.'* 

The  im.portance  of  this  point,  and  the  delufion  with 
which  fo  many  are  deceived,  it  is  to  be  feared  to  their 
•own  ruin,  is  thoucL'ht  to  be  a  fufficient  reafon  for  this 
feeming  digrellion. 

This  fupreme  love  to  God,  and  dedication  to  him,  liv- 
ing not  unto  themfelves,  but  to  and  for  him,  implies  a 
hearty,  fenfible  acknowledgemxnt  of  him  in  all  their 
ways,  and  in  all  events  which  take  place  j  feeing  his 

hariid 


SeRM.    X.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  l6j 

hand  in  them  all,  and  heartily  {ubmitting  to  him,  and 
acquiefcing  in  his  governing  providence,  and  rejoicing 
that  the  Lord  reigns  without  controul,  ordering  every- 
thing, and  every  circumftance,  from  the  greateil  to  the 
leaf!:,  in  the  exerciib  of  infinite  power,  wifdom,  recti- 
tude and  goodncfs. 

This  pious  difpolition,  a,nd  thefe  exercifes  of  heart  to- 
wards God,  are  to  be  expreffed  and  acted  out  in  all  pro- 
per ways  and  condu(5l.  This  requires  much  care,  la- 
bour and  felf  denial,  and  a  ftrong  refoiution,  and  much 
fortitude  of  mind.  The  Chriftian  muft  confefs  Chrift 
before  men,  muft  fpeak  for  him  and  in  his  caufe,  when- 
ever there  is  a  proper  opportunity,  and  muft  publicly 
profefs  his  belief  in  him  and  cordial  fubjection  to  him  in 
obedience  to  all  his  commands,  and  attendance  upon  all 
his  inftitutions.  He  muft  pay  a  ftricl  and  confcientious 
regard  to  the  fabbath,  carefully  avoiding  all  thofe  things 
which  tend  to  interrupt  his  attendance  on  the  religious 
duties  oF  that  day,  devoting  the  whole  time  as  much  as 
may  be  to  the  exercifes  of  religion,  conftantly  attending 
on  public  worfliip,  v.ith  ferioufnefs^  and  devotion.  He 
muft  attend  much  to  the  Bible,  daily  reading  and  medi- 
tating upon  it,  that  he  may  grow  in  his  acquaintance 
with  it,  and  be  entertained  and  directed  by  it,  "  as  a 
lamp  to  to  his  feet,  and  a  light  to  his  path."  Thus  "  his 
deUght  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  in  his  law  doth 
he  meditate  dav  and  nicrht." 

He  v/ill  attend  devoutly  on  the  Lord's  flipper  when- 
ever he  has  opportunity,  and  be  careful  not  to  neglect 
the  important  preparatory  duties  of  felf  examination, 
prayer,  &c.  He  is  a  friend  to  family  religion ;  and,  if 
head  of  a  family,  will  practife  daily  devotion  in  it,  in  at- 
tending to  the  word  of  God  and  prayer,  taking  particu- 
lar care  that  the  whole  family  attend  in  a  ferious  and 
orderly  manner,  and  that  they  are  all  inftrucled  in  things 
of  religion,  and  under  good  regulation  and  government. 
And  he  will  be  careful  that  no  worldly  bufmefs  or  con- 
cern interrupt  the  religious  duties  of  the  family.  He 
muft  alfo  practife  and  conftantly  maintain  fecrct  prayer. 

A 


l68  HOW    CHRISTIANS    Vv'ORK    OUT        SeRM.    X. 

A  Cliriftlan  cannot  maintain  his  fpiritual  life,  aftivity 
and  comfort  in  the  omifTion  of  clofet  duties,  and  cannot 
work  out  his  own  falvation  without  conftantly  entering 
into  his  clofet,  agreeable  to  the  direction  of  Chrift,  and 
being  inuch  in  clevotion  there.  The  prayerlefs  perfon 
is  not  in  the  way  to  heaven.  Prayer  comprehends  not 
only  petition  for  what  perfons  want,  for  themfclves  and 
others,  but  adoration,  and  praife  and  thankfgiving  for 
divine  beneficence  to  themfclves  and  to  others,  together 
with  humble  confefllon  of  fm,  unworthinefs  and  ill-de- 
fert.  The  Chriftian  will  find  abundant  matter  for  pray- 
er and  devotion,  or  intercourfe  with  God,  every  day 
and  hour,  and  muft  in  fom.e  good  meafure,  at  leaft,  act 
up  to  the  apoftolic  direction,  "  praying  always,  with  ail 
prayer,  and  fupplication  in  the  Spirit ;  in  every  thing  by 
prayer  and  fupplication,  with  thankfgiving,  make  known 
his  requefts  unto  God,"  to  whom  he  may  have  accefs  at 
all  times  throuofh  the  t/reat  Mediator,  with  humble  bold- 
nefs  and  freedom. 

And  as  the  Chriftian  has  made  a  public  profeffion  of 
religion,  and  joined  a  particular  Chriftian  diurch,  he  is 
under  covenant  engagements  to  watch  over  his  brethren 
and  fifters,  and  afHil  in  the  exercife  of  difcipline,  agrea- 
ble  to  the  dire<5lions  of  Chrifl ;  which  requires  great  at- 
tention, care  and  refolution,  in  order  to  be  acquaint- 
ed with  the  truth  of  facts,  and  judge  and  act,  fo  far  as 
he  is  called  to  it,  aQ;reeable  to  the  truth  and  the  dictates 
ot  Chriitian  love,  and  fo  as  fliall  be  moft  for  the  honour 
of  Chrift,  and  the  good  of  every  individual  of  the 
church.  This  is  included  in  the  exercife  of  piety  to- 
^vards  God,  as  well  as  his  duty  to  his  fellow  Chriftians. 
And  his  love  to  God  will  induce  him  to  fpeak  and  a6t, 
in  all  companies  and  on  all  occalions,  for  the  honour  of 
God,  and  fo  as  to  recommend  Chriltianity  to  all,  being 
conftantly  concerned  that  his  converfation  lliould  be  as 
becometh  the  gofpel  of  CMirift. 

Another  branch  of  practice  by  which  Chriftians  work 
out  their  own  falvation  confifts  in  thofe  duties  which 
more  immediately  refpect  their  fellow  men.     Thcfe  are 

all 


!SeiIM.    X>  .      THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  l6g 

all  implied  in  loving  their  neighbour  as  themfelvcs,  or. 
doing  to  others  as  they  would  that  olhers  fliould  do  un- 
to them,  and  in  exprefllng  this  love  ,in  all  proper  ways 
in  words  and  conduct. 

They  are  careful  and  exact  to  do  jufticc  to  ail  with 
whom  they  have  any  connection,  and.  are  corlfcientiouf- 
iy  concerned  and  engaged  not  to  injure  any  perfon  either 
in  their  thoughts,  words  or  actions,  in  any  of  his  inte- 
relts,  of  worldly  property  or  charader,  of  body  or  foul ; 
conftantly  watching  againfl  and  oppofing  the  many 
temptations  and  opportunities  to  do  wrong  to  any  of 
thofe  with  whom  they  have  any  concern,  iri  the  leaft 
inftance  or  degree  ;  taking  diligent  heed  not  to  prac- 
tife  according  to  the  many  falfe  maxims  and  examples 
of  mankind,  but  making  the  holy  fcripturc  their  con- 
itant  rule  in  all  their  thoughts,  words  and  dealings  with 
others. 

.  And  they  are  not  only  concerned  and  careful  to  do 
jiidice  to  all,  but  they  love  mercy,  and  wiih  and  endea- 
vour to  do  all  the  good  they  can  unto  all  men,  embrac- 
ing all  opportunities  to  promote  their  belt  intereft,  both 
temporal  and  eternal,  whether  they  be  friends  or  ene- 
mies. They  miift  exercife  a  benevolent  love  to  their 
worft  enemies,  whatever  injuries  they  may  have  receiv- 
ed from  them ;  they  mult  wifh  them  well,  do  good  to 
them,  and  pray  for  them  in  particular,  while  they  are 
praying  for  all  men.  And  if  at  any  time  they  are  con- 
vinced that  they  have  injured  any  of  their  fellow  men, 
they  muft  not  reft  till  they  have  made  all  the  reparatioji 
or  reitltution  which  is  in  their  power,  whatever  morti- 
fication, coft  and  pains  this  may  require. 

They  muft  be  careful  to  fpeak  and  conduct  towards 
all  with  becoming  decency  and  refpect,  whether  fuperi- 
ors,  inferiors  or  equals  ;  and  to  fet  good  examples  be- 
fore all,  of  humility,  temperance,  fobriety,  meeknefs 
and  kindnefs  ;  being  ready  to  every  good  work,  praclif- 
ing  patience,  forgivenefs  and  long-fuffering,  endeavour- 
ing to  live  in  peace  with  all  m.en,  as  far  as  fhail  be  in 
their  power.  And  to  this  end  they  muft  be  careful  to 
^  pra£tife 


ifo  «0"Ct'    CHRISTIANS    TTORK    OUT  SeRM,    It. 

praclife  all  thofe  relative  duties  towards  thofe  who  are 
in  the  neareft  connexion  with  them,  whether  hufband, 
wife,  parents,  children,  brethren,  fifters,  domeftics,  and 
particular  relatives  or  friends.  And  they  have  particu- 
lar and  important  duties  to  do  towards  their  brethren 
and  fifters  of  the  church,  of  the  houfehold  of  faith,  fomc 
of  which  have  been  mentioned  under  the  preceding 
head.  They  muft  live  in  the  exercife  and  exprelTion  of 
benevolence  and  kindnefs  to  them,  being  ready  and  care- 
fill  to  min:fter  to  the  relief  and  comfort  of  their  bodies, 
by  giving  them  food  and  raiment,  and  affording  them 
knV  help  of  which  any  of  them  fliall  Hand  in  need,  and 
by  exerciiing  and  manifefting  a  particular  concern  and 
friendlhip  for  them,  and  complacency  in  them,  in  the  ex- 
ercife and  practice  of  that  brotherly  tove  which  is  peculiar 
to  Chriftiansw 

They  muft  be  diligent  and  faithful  in  their  particular 
calling  and  bufinefs,  ftriving  to  improve  their  time  and 
talents  to  good  purpofe,  fo  as  to  have  a  fupply  for  their 
'own  bodily  wants,  and  of  theirs  who  depend  in  any 
tneafuf e  on  them ;  and  fo  as  to  be  able  to  give  relief  to 
all  who  {land  in  need ;  and  fo  as  to  redeem  time  for  re- 
ligious exetcifes,  a;nd  the  improvement  of  their  minds 
in  all  ufeful  knowledge,  which  in  their  circumftances^ 
they  fliall  have  opportunity  to  acquire,  diligently  im- 
proving all  their  time  in  fomething  really  ufeful  to  them- 
felves  or  to  others,  or  to  both. 

Thirdly,  Chriftians  in  working  out  their  own  falva- 
tion  fniift  perfevefe  in  this  work,  which  has  been  imper- 
fectly defcribed,  to  the  end  of  life. 

Chrift  faid  to  the  Jews  who  profelTed  to  believe  on 
him,  "  If  ye  contimie  in  my  words,  then  are  ye  my  difci- 
pies  indeed:'*  \_yohn  viii.  31  :]  which  words  imply  that 
none  are  the  true  difciples  of  Chrift  but  thofe  who  per-* 
levere  in  obedience  to  him  to  the  end  of  life.  They 
only  who  overcome,  are  faithful  unto  death,  and  endure 
to  the  end,  fhall  be  faved  :  \_Maih.  x.  22 ;  Rev.  ii.  7,  10.] 
' "  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  foul  Ihall  have  no  plea- 
fure  in  him,'*  and  he  draws  back  unto  perdition  :  \_Heb. 
X.  38^39.1  ■•"  Fourthly. 


5eRM.    X.  THIIR   OWN   SALVATION.  I7I 

Fourthly.  The  Chriftian,  in  working  out  his  own  faU 
vation,  mufl:  increafe  and  make  progrefs  in  his  labour 
and  work,  and  daily  do  more  and  more.  He  muft  make 
advances  in  knowledge  and  fkill  in  his  buiinefs,  and  in- 
creafe in  zeal,  eiigagednefs  and  activity. 

When  a  Chriftian  enters  on  his  work  he  may  be  com- 
pared to  a  youth  who  begins  to  work  at  fome  trade. 
By  working  he  continually  increafes  in  fkill  and  ability 
to  work :  he  daily  makes  advances  in  his  .work,  and, 
does  more  and  more  in  a  day,  till  he  is  perfect  in  his 
trade  and  bufmefs.  So  the  Chriftian  who  is  working 
out  his  own  falvation  not  only  continues  and  perfeveres 
in  his  work,  but  his  work  increafes  on  his  hands,  and 
he  gains  in  ikill  and  ftrength,  in  his  engagednefs  and  ac- 
tivity, and  does  and  abounds  more  and  more.  Increafe 
in  grace  and  hoiinefs  is  as  neceffary  in  order  to  obtr.in 
falvation,  as  perfeverancc.  It  is  eftential  to  the  nature 
of  true  grace  to  grow  and  indteafe  in  the  exercife  of  it ; 
fo  that  it  is  as  certain  that  he  who  does  not  make  any 
advances  in  a  holy  life,  and  increafe  in  his  work,  and 
abound  more  and  more,  is  not  in  the  way  to  heaven, 
and  has  no  true  grace,  as  it  is  of  him  who  falls  away, 
and  wholly  chafes  to  work.  "  The  path  of  the  juft  is  as 
the  fhining  light,  which  fhineth  more  and  more  to  the 
perfect  day.**     There  is  no  way  to  heaven  but  this.. 

The  apoftle  Paul  tells  the  church  at  Philippi,  to  whom 
he  gave  the  diredion  in  the  text,  that  in  working  out 
his  own  falvation  he  was  ftriving  to  prefs  forward,  and 
go  on  in  his  Chriftian  courfe  till  he  fhould  arrive  to  per- 
fection, not  refting  in  any  paft  or  prefent  attainments  : 
*'  Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  al- 
ready perfect ;  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  appre- 
hend that  for  which  alfo  I  am  apprehended  of  Chriit. 
Jefus.  Forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  unto  thofe  things  which  are  before,  I 
prefs  toward  the  mark,  for  the  prise  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Chrift  Jefus."  The  apoftles  infift  much  on 
this,  as  the  charafter  and  duty  of  Chriftians,  that  they 
increafe  and  abound  more  and  more  in  each  Chriftian 

grace 


i^3  how'  christians  work  out         Serm.  X. 

■grace  and  in  every  good  work.  This  Avill  appear  by 
the  following  quotations  :  "  Therefore,  my  beloved 
brethren,  be  ye  ftedfaft,,  unmoveable,  always  abounding 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord."  To  abound  in  the  i^ork  of  the 
Lord  is  to  increafe  in  working,  and  to  do  more  and 
more.  In  this  fenfe  the  word  abound  is  frequently  ufed, 
which  will  appear  from  the  paffages  which  will  nov/  be 
quoted  :  '-'  And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  m.ay  aboimd 
yet  more  a:'d  more  in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgment : 
^Phil.  i.  9.]  And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increafe  and 
abound  in  love  one  tpwa!;-d  another,  and  toward  all  men. 
Furthermore,  then,  we  befeech  you,  brethren,  and  ex- 
hort you  by  the  Lord  Jefus,  that  as  ye  have  received  of 
us  how  ye  ought  to  walk  and  pleafe  God,  fo  ye  would 
abound  niore  and  more.  Ye  yourfelves  are  taught  of 
God  to  love  one  another  :  but  we  befeech  you,  breth- 
ren, that  ye  increafe  more  and  more  :  [i  77'r^'^  iii.  12  ; 
iv.  I,  9,  10.]  That  ye  might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord 
unto  all  pleafing,  being  fruitful  in  every  good  u'ork,  and 
increafmg  in  the  knowledge  of  God:  \_Col.  i.  lo.]' 
For  if  thefe  things,  (i.  e.  the  Chriftian  graces  which  he 
iiad  juft  mentioned,)  be  in  you  and  abound;  they  ihall 
make  you  that  ye  fliall  be  neither  barren  nor  unfruitful 
in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jefus  ChrilL  For  if  yc 
do  thefe  things,  ye  (hall  never  fail.  For  fo  an  entrance 
ffiall  be  miniftered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the  ever^ 
lafting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifi:. 
Beloved,  beware  left  ye,  being  led  away  with  the  error 
of  the  wicked,  fall  from  your  own  ftedfaftnefs :  but 
grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jefus  Chrift  :"  [2  Pet.  i.  8,  10,  11  ;  iii.  17,  18.] 
In  thefe  words,  abounding  in  the  exercife  of  every 
Chriftian  crrace,  and  jxrowinsr  in  erace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  C'hrift,  is  reprefented  as  the  only  furc 
way  to  efcapc  falling  into  deftruftion,  and  to  enter  into 
the  kinp;dom  of  heaven.  The  fame  truth  was  inculcated 
by  Chrift :  "  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not 
fruit,  he  taketh  away  ;  and  every  branch  that  beareth 
fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  brin^  forth  more  fruit." 

According 


Sf.RM.    X.  THEIR    OV/N    SALVATION.  I73 

According  to  this  there  are  but  two  forts  of  vifible 
Chriftians,  viz.  they  who  are  not  real  Chriftians,  and 
confequently  bear  no  fruit ;  and  they  who  are  true 
Chriftians,  and  are  fruitful,  being  conftantly  purged  fo 
as  to  increafe  in  their  fruit,  and  bear  more  fruit  the 
longer  they  live.  And  that  this  muft  be  fo  is  plain  and 
certain,  becaufe  for  a  man  to  work  out  his  own  falvation. 
is  to  do  that  by  which  he  is  ripening,  preparing  and 
becoming  more  meet  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  which 
he  cannot  do  but  by  growing  in  grace,  and  becoming 
more  and  more  holy,  and  going  on  toward  perfection 
in  holinefs :  and  this  is  the  fame  with  abounding  more 
?ind  more  in  every  good  work. 

This  is  the  work  and  life  of  a  Chriftian,  a  defcription 
of  which  has  been  now  attempted  in  order  to  lliow  what 
is  intended  by  his  working  out  his  own  falvation.  This 
attempt,  though  imperfeft  and  defective,  will  ferve  to 
difcover  what  this  work  is,  accordina;  to  the  holy  fcrio- 
tures,  in  the  ipoft  efTential  oart  of  it,  and  that  it  is  in- 
deed a  very  great  work,  infinitely  the  greateft,  moft 
difficult  and  iir.portant,  that  any  man  ever  engaged  in 
and  performed. 

Some,  it  may  be,  will  be  ready  to  fay,  as  the  difciples 
of  Chrift  faid'  to  their  Lord,  on  a  certain  occalion, 
?*  Who  then  can  be  faved  !"  If  this  be  the  work  of  a 
Chriftian,  and  the  only  way  to  work  out  our  own  falva- 
tion ;  if  men  muft  thus  deny  all  ungodlinefs,  and  every 
worldly  luft,  and  muft  live  thus  fbberly,  righteoully 
and  godly  in  the  world  ;  if  they  muft  be  To  ftricl,  care- 
ful, watchful,  painful  and  laborious  in  this  work ;  if 
they  have  to  pppofe  and  conquer  fuch  numerous,  crafty 
and  powerful  enemies,  and  muft  deny  themfelves,  and 
take  up  their  crofs  daily  ;  if  they  caii  have  no  refpite, 
can  never  be  releafed  from  this  work,  by  night  or  by 
day,  but  muft  perfevere  in  it  to  the  end  of  life  ;  and  not 
only  fo,  but  their  work  increafes  on  their  hands  every 
day,  fo  that  the  longer  they  work,  the  more  is  requir- 
ed, and  the  more  they  do,  the  more  they  have  to  do  ; 
\f  this  be  the  cafe  with  man,  if  this  be  the  only  way  to 

heaven. 


174  HOW  CHRISTIAIJS   WORK   OUT         SeRM.     X. 

heaven,  who  will  ever  get  there !  If  there  be  any  in 
the  way  to  falvation,  furely  they  are  very  few  ;  the  moft 
are  like  to  mifs  of  it  forever.  And  who  can  have  cou- 
rage to  engage  in  fuch  a  work  as  this  !  and  how  is  this 
confiftent  with  the  words  of  Chrift  :  "  Take  my  yoke 
upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart ;  and  ye  Ihail  find  reft  to  your  fouls  :  for  my  yoke 
is  ealy,  and  my  burden  is  light  ?** 

A  tull  anfwer  to  this  is  found  in  the  reply  of  Chriffc 
tQ  the  qceilion  which  his  difciples  put  to  him  :  "  Who 
then  can  be  faved  ?'*  "This  is  indeed  impoflible  with 
Micn,  but  not  with  God  j  for  with  God  ail  things  are 
poiTible/'  Though  man,  in  his  fallen,  depraved  flate, 
be  aitogetlier  unequal  to  this  work,  and  will  never,  of 
himfclf,  do  2.ny  thing  to  any  purpofe ;  yet,  by  the  help 
of  God,  by  his  grace  and  aiiiitance,  he  may  do  all  tliis, 
and  work  out  his  own  falvation  ;  and  he  will  find  it  to 
lie  not  only  polhble,  and  that,  by  Chrift  ftrengthening 
him,  he  can  do  all  thefe  things,  and  more  ;  but  the 
moil  agreeable  imd  pleafant  work  in  which  man  can  be 
employed.  This  is  held  forth  in  the  text,  which  is  to 
be  farther  explained,  and  will  be  more  particularly  con- 
iidered  in  the  fequei. 

But  before  we  pafs  to  this,  feveral  obfervations  will 
be  made  with  regard  to  working  out  our  own  falvation, 
as  it  has  been  defcribed,  which  may  prevent  any  mif- 
underftanding,  and  throw  farther  light  on  the  fubject. 

I.  By  Chriftians  working  out  their  own  falvation  is 
not  meant  that  by  this  they  fo  recommend  themfelves 
to  God,  that  out  of  regard  to  the  worth  and  merit  of 
their  good  works  they  obtain  2.n  intereft  in  the  divine 
promifes,  and  a  title  to  falvation.  The  declarations  of 
fcripture  are  direftly  contrary  to  fuch  a  fuppofition. 
"  By  grace  are  ye  faved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of 
yourfelves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  Not  of  works  :  for 
we  are  his  workmanihip,  created  in  Chrift  Jefus  unto 
good  works.  Not  by  works  of  righteoufnefs  which  wc 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  faved  us,  by 
the  waUiing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 

Ghoft." 


Serm.  X.         fHEik  OWN  salvaTIom.  ty'^ 

Ghoft.**  Men  are  brought  into  a  ftatc  of  falvation,  and 
an  intereft  in  the  promifes  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  have  a  title  to  eternal  life,  by  the  firft  ad  which 
unites  them  to  him,  that  is,  by  the  firil  exerciie  of  faith 
on  him.  They  do  not  earn  or  merit  falvation  by  their 
works,  nor  do  they  aim  at  or  attempt  this,  or  have  the 
ieaft  delire  of  it.  They  are  fo  far  from  this,  that  their 
firft  holy  exercife  implies  a  fenfe  of  their  unworthinds 
and  ill  defert ;  and  they  come  to  Chriit  for  falvation  as 
a  free  gift  to  the  infinitely  unworthy  and  ill  defer ving; 
trufting  in  his  merit  and  righteoufnefs  to  recommend 
them  to  all  that  favour  and  falvation  which  they  defire 
and  feek  after.  And  all  this  is  expreffcd  or  implied  in 
all  they  do  in  working  out  their  own  falvation.  They 
are  fo  far  from  offering  any  thing  of  their  own  as  the 
price  of  their  falvation,  that  all  their  working  and  ex- 
ertions are  impHed  in  coming  to  Chrifl  and  trufting  in 
him  for  complete  redemption  as  a  free,  undeierved  gift, 
to  be  obtained  through  him,  without  money  or  price. 
And  all  they  do  in  working  out  their  own  falvation  con- 
fifts  efTentially  in  this,  in  coming  to  Chrift  for  all,  and 
receiving  all  from  him,  even  ftrength,  righteoufnefs  and 
falvation,  in  a  fenfe  of  their  total  unworthinefs  of  the 
Ieaft  good,  and  defert  of  infinite  evil. 

It  is  of  importance  that  this  point  fhould  be  viewed 
in  this  fcriptural  light,  and  kept  in  mind,  to  prevent 
thofe  dangerous  miftakes  into  which   many  have  fallen. 

Moreover,  real  Chriftians  not  only  have  an  intereft 
in  falvation  by  promife,  when  they  begin  to  work  it 
out  j  but  if  it  were  not  fo,  all  they  do  in  working  out 
their  falvation  is  fo  far  from  meriting  or  deferving  fal- 
vation, or  any  favour,  that  they  continually  deferve  to 
be  excluded  from  it  forever  and  to  perifli ;  and  by  all 
they  do  they  do  not  become  lefs  ill  deferving  than  they 
were  before  they  began  to  work,  but  more  fo.  All 
they  do  is  fo  defiled  with  fin,  is  fo  deficient,  and  comes 
fo  far  fhort  of  what  is  their  duty,  that  for  this  they  de- 
ferve to  be  given  up  to  evil,  and  perifh,  and  muft  perifli 
after  all,  were  it  not  for  tiie  merits  of  Chrift  j  in  whom 

they 


17^  now    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT         SeRM.    X. 

they  ar6  accepted  in  all  tlicir  holy  excrcifes  and  works, 
and  their  lins  arc  pardoned,  and  through  his  righteouf- 
neis  they  receive  the  reward  of  eternal  life.  This  every 
Chriflian  feels  cdnllantly,  and  acknowledges  to  be  true 
\\  ith  regard  to  himfelf,  while  he  is  w^ith  the  greateftcare 
and  diligence  working  out  his  own  falvation. 

IL  Chriliians  do  not  work  out  their  ov/n  falvation 
in  their  own  ftrength,  but  by  the  fpecial  and  conftant 
ainftslnce  and  pou^erful  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
by  which  they  are  made  ftrong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the 
power  of  his  niighti  Chriilians  are  in  themfelves  alto- 
gether unequal  to  this  work;,  being  nothing  but  weak- 
nefs  and  infufficiency :  it  is  inlinitely  too  great  and  ar- 
duous for  them  :  they  depend  entirely  and  conftantly 
on  the  grace  and  afhilance  of  Godj  in  order  to  do  any 
thing  ettecrually  towards  it*  This  is  abundantly  declar- 
ed in  the  fcripture.  Chrift  tells  his  difciples,  "  Without 
me  ye  can  do  nothing*"  And  he  faid  to  the  apoftle 
Paul,  "  My  grace  is  fufficicnt  for  thee  :  for  my  ilrength 
.is  made  perfectj^in  weaknefs*"  Paul  therefore  dared  to 
fay,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Chrift  who  ftrength- 
eneth  me.  For  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  ftrong, 
By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am :  and  his  grace, 
which  was  beftowed  upon  me,  was  not  in  vain,  but  I 
laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all :  yet  not  T,  but 
the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  According  to 
our  text,  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  them  both  to  will 
and  to  do  this  o-reat  work  which  is  before  them.    With- 

_  o 

©ut  his  energy,  and  conftant  effeftual  operation  on  their. 
hearts,  they  would  not  take  one  ftep  in  this  work,  or 
put  forth  any  ad  of  w'ill  towards  it.  But  this  will  be 
more  particularly  confidered,  in  further  attending  to 
this  fubjecl. 

III.  This  work  is  as  neceflary  to  be  done  in  order  to 
falvation,  as  it  would  be  if  men  obtained  a  title  to  fal- 
vation by  thus  working,  and  n^erited  it  by  their  good 
works.  Though  men  are  not  faved  by  or  for  their  ho- 
linefs,  yet  holinefs  is  as  nccefiary  to  falvation,  as  if  they 
>vere  ;  for  deliverance  from  fm,  and  turning  from  it, 

and 


S£RM.    X.  THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.  I77 

and  the  exerclfe  of  holinels,  is  eflcntlal  to  falvatlon,  as 
the  latter  can  have  no  exiftence  without  the  former. 
It  is  as  neceflary  that  men  fliould  be  holy  in  order  to 
falvation,  as  it  would  be  were  they  to  obtain  a  title  to 
it  and  merit  it  by  their  holinefs  and  good  works  ;  for 
it  ftill  remains  true,  that  without  holinefs  no  man  fliall 
fee  the  Lord,  or  enjoy  falvation.  But  to  be  holy  and 
exercife  holinefs,  is  to  work  out  falvation,  in  the  fenfe 
of  the  text,  and  as  it  has  been  now  defcribed. 

The  moral  inability  of  man  to  exercife  holinefs,  and 
go  on  to  perfeftion  in  holinefs  of  himfelf,  does  not  make 
it  in  any  degree  iefs  neceffary  that  he  ihould  be  holy  in 
order  to  be  happy ;  and  therefore  not  the  Iefs  neceifary 
that  in  order  to  be  holy  men  ihould  be  a<5tive  and 
^vork ;  for  that  men  ihould  live  a  holy  life,  or  be  holy, 
without  working,  or  the  exercife  of  holinefs,  is  a  con- 
tradiction. 

IV.  Thouo;]?  men  are  morallv  unable  to  work  out 
their  own  falvation  of  themfelves,  but  depend  on  God 
for  afliftance  and  grace,  by  which  he  worketh  in  them 
both  to  v/ill  and  to  do  it  -,  yet  it  is  not  only  as  neceffary 
they  Ihould  do  tliefe  works,  but  tliey  are  as  much  their 
own  works  and  actions,  as  if  they  did  them  of  them- 
felves, without  any  afliftance  and  powerful,  effectual 
influence  from  God.  God's  ailifting  men  to  do  thefe 
works,  docs  not  make  them  the  Iefs  man's  own  exercife^ 
and  Vv'orks,  than  if  they  did  them  without  any  ailiffance. 
Every  aft  of  any  perfon's  will  or  choice,  and  all  the  de- 
ligned  attendants  and  confequences  of  fuch  a  volition, 
arc  his  own  exercifes  and  actions,  and  it  is  impoflible  it 
fhould  be  otherwife,  whatever  influences  he  is  the  fub- 
ject  of  in  order  to  his  thus  willing  and  acting.  What- 
ever a  man  wills,  and  does  in  the  execution  of  his  will, 
are  b:s  g\.vii  exercifes  of  will,  and  h'u  ozv?:  actions,  and 
cannot  be  otherwife  ;  and  to  affert  the  contrary  is  al- 
ways an  untruth,  and  a  palpable  contradiction. 

It  would  be  necdlefs  to  make  this  obfervation,  werr. 

it  not  that  fome  have  been  fo  thoughtlels   and  abiurd, 

hov/ever  learned  and  judicious  in  other  iratttr^,  as  to 

y\  a   ^  .  xiiy. 


l^S  ^ItAT    IS    MEANT  SeRM.    XL 

fay,  that  if  God  worketh  in  men  to  will  and  to  do,  fa 
that  their  choice  and  doing  is  the  effect  of  what  God 
does  work  in  them,  then  it  is  God  who  wills  and  does, 
and  not  man  ;  and  if  there  be  any  virtue  or  goodnefs 
in  what  is  done,  it  is  the  virtue  and  goodnefs  of  God, 
and  not  man's*  But  this  is  manifeilly  mod  abfurd, 
and  contrary  to  the  reafon  and  common  fenfe  of  man- 
kind ;  fot  they  feel  and  know  that  every  thing  which 
men  will  and  do  is  th^ir  own  choice  and  deed,  and  not 
of  any  other ;  and  that,  whatever  induced  them  thus 
to  will  and  do ;  and  that  it  is  as  much  their  own  a<5i: 
and  deed,  as  if  they  had 'done  it  without  any  fuch  in- 
fluence. And  if  what  they  do  be  right  and  virtuous,  it 
is  as  much  their  own  virtue  and  sroodnefs,  as  it  could 
be  if  they  had  done  it  without  any  influence  or  ailiitance 
from  others. 

Upon  the  whole,  to  conclude  this  head,  it  appears 
that  Chriftians  have  a  great  work  to  do,  which  is  abfo- 
lutely  neceilary  in  order  to  be  faved,  in  which  they 
muft  be  aftive,  muft  will  and  do  it.  And  this  is  to 
perfect  holinefs  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  work  out  their 
own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling;.  And  this  is 
the  work  fpoken  of  in  the  text ;  a  defcription  of  which 
has  been  attempted  in  the  preceding  difcourfe  t  which 
may  God  blefs  to  the  benefit  of  all  who  iliall  give  to  it 
a  proper  attention.     Amen. 


Sermon  xi. 


Phil.  ii.  12,  13.  V/ork  out  your  own  falvation  'iuith  fear 
and  trembling  :  for  it  is  God  who  ivorketb  in  you,  both  t<f 
ivill  and  to  do,  of  his  good  plcafurc. 

N  attending  to  thelc  words  it  has  been  attempted  to 
confider  and  lliew  what  is  intended  by  Chriftians 
working  out  thqir  ov/n  flilvation.     This  has  been  endea- 
voured 


jSeum.  X^.        by  fear  and  trem?linc#  175 

voured  in  the  precedin?^  dlfcourfes.     It  Is  no\^propofed, 
II.     To  confider  what  is  meant  by  their  doing  this 
nvhh  fear  and  trembling. 

It  is  of  importance  to  obferve  here,  and  let  it  be  kept 
in  view,  that  this  paffage  of  fcripture  cannot  be  under- 
ftood,  and  the  true  fenfe  of  it  given,  unlefs  the  real  mean- 
ing of  thefe  words  be  properly  afcertaincd,  and  fixed  in 
our  minds  :  for  they  arc  really  the  key  by  which  alone 
the  meaning  of  the  whole  paifage  is  opened,  and  with- 
out which  the  true  intent  and  force  of  thefe  words  of 
the  Apoftle  cannot  be  perceived.  This,  it  is  expected, 
will  be  made  to  appear  before  the  fubjed  is  difmiffed ; 
and  is  a  reafon  why  thefe  words  ihould  be  examined 
with  particular  care  and  attention,  that  the  true  import 
of  them  may  not  be  overlooked,  and  they  be  taken  in  a 
wrong  fenfe,  but  the  true  meaning  of  them  be  known 
and  fixed. 

The  drift  and  force  of  the  exhortation  of  the  apoftle 
is  not  merely  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  but  has 
2.  principal  and  chief  refpect  to  the  manner  of  doing  this^ 
which  is  expreffed  in  the  words,  "  With  fear  and 
tremblina;."  Therefore  in  thefe  words  is  contained  an 
cflential  part  of  the  exhortation  ;  and  to  thia,  part, 
which  points  out  the  manner  and  only  way  in  which 
they  could  w^ork  out  their  own  falvation,  the  following 
words  do  wholly  refer,  as  an  argument  to  enforce  it : 
""  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and 
to  do,  of  his  good  pleafure."  This  is  a  reafon,  not 
merely  why  they  fliould  work  out  their  aw^n  falvation, 
but  why  they  ftiould  do  this  with  fear  and  trembling, 
as  the  only  way  in  which  it  could  be  done.  Whatever 
men  may  do,  and  however  much  and  great  pains  and 
labour  they  may  take  in  working  out  their  falvation  ; 
yet  if  they  do  not  this  with  fear  and  trembling,  they 
will  fail  of  obtaining  falvation.  This  points  out  the 
only  wT.y  to  heaven.  But  this  will  be  more  particular- 
ly confidercd  and  illuftrated  in  the  profecution  of  this 
fubjecl. 

The 


I  So  WHAT    IS    MEANT*  SeEM.    Xf, 

The  following  particulars  will  fervc  to  lead  to  the 
true  meaning  oi:  fear  and  trembling. 

1.  Thefe  words  muft  intend  Ibmething  which  h 
right  and  becoming  all  Chriftians  at  all  times,  while 
they  are  working  out  their  own  falvation.  It  is  what 
is  eilential  to  all  truly  Chriftian  grace  and  exercifes,  and 
belongs  to  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  their  character : 
and  as  they  cannot  be  real  Chriftians  and  live  as  fuch 
without  it,  fo  the  more  they  have  of  it,  the  better  and 
more  ftrong  and  excellent  Chriftians  they  are.  If  this 
were  not  fo,  the  Apoftle  would  not  have  exhorted  them, 
and  confequently  all  Chriftians,  at  all  times  and  in  all 
ages,  thus  to  work  out  their  own  falvation.  It  would 
be  injurious  and  abfurd  to  fuppofe  that  he  exhorted  to 
thofe  exercifes  and  that  practice  which  are  not  virtuous 
and  excellent,  and  becoming  all  Chriftians,  at  all  times, 
as  their  indifpenfable  duty,  in  which  they  are  bound  to 
excel,  and  cannot  be  pra6lifed  to  excefs.  This  obferva- 
tion,  of  the  truth  of  which  none  can  doubt,  will  help  to 
fhew  what  is  not  intended  by  fear  and  trem.bling  here, 
viz.  all  thofe  exercifes  which  are  wrong,  or  are  a  blemifJi 
and  imperfection  in  the  character  of  a  Chriftian.  Thefe 
muft  all  be  excluded,  and  will  lead  to  the  obfervation-s 
following. 

2.  The  Apoftle  does  not  exhort  Chriftians  to  work 
out  their  own  falvation  under  the  influence  of  a  fervile, 

Jla-vifi  fear  of  God,  in  which  no  true  love  is  implied, 
but  is  contrary  to  a  fpirit  of  love.  This  is  fometimes 
meant  by  fear  in  the  fcriptures,  and  is  condemned  as 
contrary  to  a  Chriftian  fpirit  of  love  and  true  obedience. 
This  Apoftle  fays  to  Chriftians,  "  Ye  have  not  received 
the  fpirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear  ;  but  ye  have  receiv- 
ed the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba  Father. 
God  hath  not  given  us  the  fpirit  of  fear  ;  but  of  power, 
of  love  and  of  a  found  mind  :"  [^Rc/u.  viii.  15  ;  2  Tim, 
i.  7.]  *    He  therefore  certainly  did  not  exhort  Chriftians 

♦  The  word  in  the  original,  tranflated  fear,  2  Thn.  i.  7,  is  deUiasy 
v'hich  is  not  the  word  comrriQnly  ufed  for  fear,  and  the  molt  proper 


ir.eaning  of  it  is  cowardice. 


t9 


SeRM.   Xi.  BY    FEAF.    AND    TREMBLING.  l8i^» 

to  exercife  fuch  fear  in  v/orking  out  their  f^ilvation. 
'I'he  apoftle  John  fays,  there  is  no  fear  in  love  ;  but 
perfect  love  cafteth  out  fear.  He  that  feareth  is  not 
made  perfect  in  love. 

3.  By  fear  and  trembling  here  is  not  meant  a  con- 
ftant  trembling  fear  of  falling  away  and  perlfliing  at 
laft.  This  cannot  be  the  m.eaning,  becaufe  this  is  not 
the  duty  of  all  Chriftians,  and  cannot  be  confidered  as 
a  Chriftian  virtue,  but  rather  an  imperfection,  and  at 
leaft  a  defeft  of  grace.  Chriftians  are  directed  to  make 
their  calling  and  election  fare.  The  Apoftlc  ipeaks  of 
thofe  Chriitians  to  whom  he  gave  the  exhortation  un- 
der confideration,  as  thofe  of  whom  he  was  confident 
that  God  would  carry  on  the  work  he  had  begun  in 
them,  until  the  day  of  Jefus  ChriiL  And  how  could  he 
direft  them  to  tremble  with  fear  of  perifliing,  when  he 
at  the  fame  time  had  told  them  he  \\as  confident  that 
Chrift  would  fave  them  ?  Why  migjit  not  they  be  as 
confident  of  their  falvation  as  he  was  ?  He  fpeaks  iii 
the  lanc:ua2:e  of  affurance  of  his  own  falvation  in  thij» 
letter.  He  fpeaks  of  his  own  death  as  connected  witii 
his  being  with  Chrift.  And  he  fays  of  himfelf,  with 
others,  "  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  houfe  of  this 
tabernacle  were  diftblved,  w^e  have  a  building  of  God, 
an  houfe  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. '* 
And  no  doubt  fome,  if  not  many,  of  the  Chriftians  at 
Philippi,  had  a  comfortable  alfurance  of  their  intereil  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  confequently  that  they  fliould 
befaved.  It  is  certain  that  the  Apoifle  did  not  know 
that  this  was  not  true  of  them.  It  is  therefore  certain 
that  he  confidered  this  exhortation  to  be  applicable  to 
the  moft  aifured  Chriftian  that  was  then  on  earth,  or 
ever  will  live  in  this  world,  and  pointed  out  their  duty 
as  much  as  of  thofe  w^ho  were  in  doubt  whether  they 
fliould  be  faved  or  not.  The  Apoftle  himfelf,  and  every 
afiured  Chriftian,  had  as  much  of  this  fear  and  trem- 
bling as  any  Chriftian  \vhatever,  and  it  was  as  much  his 
ind   their  duty  and  privilege,   and  effential  to   their 

character. 


1 82  WHAT    IS    MEANT  SeRM.    XI. 

character.  In  which  they  would  abound  more  and  more 
as  they  advanced  in  the  Chriflian  hfe,  and  excellent  at- 
tainments. 

The  word  fear  is  often  ufed  in  fcripture  in  a  fenfe 
which  denotes  that  which  is  a  virtue  and  real  piety, 
and  in  this  fenfe  are  fear  and  trembling  ufed.  And  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  or  to  fear  God,  commonly  means  the 
exercife  of  true  piety.  Of  this  all  who  read  the  Bible 
with  attention  are  fenfible. 

From  the  foregoing  obfervations  it  evidently  appears, 
that  by  fear  and  trembling  in  the  text  muft  be  intend- 
ed Christian  humility,  with  all  the  natural  and  ne- 
ceflary  attendants  of  it,  confifting  in  a  fenfe  of  their  own 
depravity  and  guilt,  or  ill  defert,  and  of  their  total 
moral  impotence  and  infufEciency  in  themfelves,  to 
work  out  their  own  falvation,  or  to  will  and  do  any 
thing  towards  it  ;  with  an  entire  and  conftant  depen- 
dence on  and  truft  in  God  the  Saviour  for  pardon  and 
acceptance,  through  his  atonement,  and  the  influences 
of  his  Spirit  to  give  them  moral  difcerning,  llrength 
and  ability  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  in  a  fenfe 
of  his  greatnefs,  majefty,  power  and  fovereignty,  who 
has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he 
will  he  hardeneth  ;  and  of  their  own  littlenefs,  vilenefs, 
and  infinite  unworthinefs  of  the  leaft  favour  ;  while 
they  view  deftruclion,  which  they  deferve,  and  fliall 
certainly  fall  into,  unlefs  they  are  refcued  by  the  mighty 
pov/er  and  fovereign  grace  of  God,  in  all  the  horrors 
and  dreadfulnefs  of  it ;  and  the  infinite  greatnefs,  worth 
and  importance  of  that  falvation  which  is  given  by 
Chrift  to  all  who  believe  and  obey  him. 

That  all  this  is  implied  in  that  humility  and  faith 
which  is  efl'ential  to  the  charader  of  a  Chriftian,  and  by 
which  he  lives,  and  works  out  his  own  falvation,  none 
can  doubt  who  properly  attends  to  the  fubjccf.  And 
that  the  whole  of  this  is  implied  and  expreilbd  in  the 
words  fear  and  trembling,  is  evident,  from  the  ufe  of 
thofe  words  in  other  places,  and  on  different  occahons, 
and  from  what  follows  in  the  paflage  we  are  upon. 


SfiRM.    XL  BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  iS^ 

We  find  thefe  words  ufed  three  times,  bejidc  that  in 
the  text  before  us,  by  this  Apoftle.  He  fays  to  the 
Corinthians,  "  I  was  with  you  in  weaknefs,  and  in  fear, 
and  in  much  trembhng/'  He  feems  here  to  fct  himlelf 
defignedly  in  contraft  with  thofe  whom  he  calls  falfe 
apoltles,  who  appeared  proud  and  felf-fulTicient,  and 
afFefled  a  great  parade  and  {how  of  their  own  abilities 
and  accomplifliments,  and  boafted  great  things.  On 
the  contrary,  when  he  was  with  them,  and  God  did 
great  things  among  them  by  his  miniftry  in  their  con- 
verfion,  he  gloried  not  in  himfelf,  but  in  the  I-ord,  and 
laboured  anions;  them  in  fear  and  much  tremblino;,  in  a 
preiTmg  fenfe  of  his  own  weaknefs,  and  infufficiency  for 
the  great  work  in  which  he  was  engaged  ;  that  he  was 
nothing,  and  that  God  alone  could  give  the  increafe  and 
fuccefs  defu'ed.  He  exprelTes  the  fame  thing  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  Not  that  we  are  fuflicient  of  ourfelves 
to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourfeh^es,  but  our  fuflicicncy  is 
of  God."  When  he  fpeaks  of  the  Corinthians  receiving 
Titus  ivith  fear  and  iremhl'mg^  the  meaning  is,  that  they 
received  him  in  humility  and  lowlinefs  of  mind,  in  a 
fenfe  of  their  own  finfulnefs  and  unworthinefs,  and 
readinefs  to  receive  inftruclion  from  him,  fenfible  of 
their  ignorance  and  need  of  being  taught ;  in  oppoiition 
to  felf-fufficience  and  pride,  undervaluing  and  defpiiing 
him. 

This  famxe  Apoftle  £iys  to  fervants,  "  Be  obedient  to 
them  who  are  your  malters  according  to  the  flefh,  iv'tth 
fear  and  trembling-.  None  can  reafonably  fuppofe  that 
fervants  are  here  commanded  to  acl  from  a  fervile, 
liaviih  tear  of  their  mafters,  doing  all  and  obeying  them 
out  of  fear  of  their  rod  :  for  this  is  not  a  commendable 
fpirit  in  fervants.  By  fear  and  trembling  ds  evidently 
meant  a  fpirit  of  humility  and  fubmlfiion  to  the  vv'ill  oi 
their  mailers ;  willing  to  take  their  own  proper  place ; 
not  fetting  up  for  themfelves,  but  feeling  their  depen- 
dence upon  their  mafters  for  all  temporal  fupport, 
realizing  the  evil  confequence  of  a  contrary  fpirit  and 
conduct,   of  pride  and  felf-iuflkiency.     And  in   Rom. 

Xi.    20, 


SeRM.    XI.  WHAT    IS    MEANT  184 

xi.  20,  he  ufcs  tlic  word  fear  to  denote  a  Chrlftlan  vir- 
tue, in  oppofition  to  pride  and  ielf-confidence  :  "  Well, 
becaufe  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  off,  and  thou 
itandefl:  by  fiiith.     Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.'* 

And  that  the  meaning  of  fear  and  trembling  in  the 
text  which  has  been  given  is  the  only  true  meaning,  is 
evident  from  the  words  which  immediately  follow 
thefe  :  "  For  it  is  God  >vho  worketh  in  you,  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleafure.'*  This  is  given  as 
the  reafon  why  they  Ihould  work  out  their  own  falva- 
tion  luithfcar  and  tre??ibling.  And  this  i«  a  good  reafon 
why  they  fliould  do  this,  in  a  humbling  fenfe  of  their 
own  depravity,  unv/orthinefs,  and  moral  inability  to 
"work  out  their  own  falvation,  and  continually  maintain 
felf-diflidence,  in  a  fenfe  of  the  greatnefs  of  the  work, 
and  their  own  infufficiency,  and  their  entire  dependence 
on  God  for  his  powerful  influence  on  their  hearts,  in 
order  to  their  willing  and  doing,  and  taking  one  ftep  in 
their  Chriilian  courfe.  But  if  thefe  words  are  not  taken 
in  this  fenfe,  the  propriety  and  force  of  the  argument 
cannot  be  difcerned,  and  is  loft.  But  this  is  to  be  more 
fully  coniidered  under  another  head. 

Having  given  a  fummary  of  the  meaning  of  fear  and 
trembling  in  the  text,  in  order  more  fully  to  elucidate 
this  point  it  will  be  proper,  if  not  neceifary,  particularly 
to  {hew  what  is  implied  in  this  general  account  ;  which 
may  be  done  under  the  following  heads. 

I.  Fear  and  trembling  implies  a  trembling  convic- 
tion and  fenfe  of  their  own  weaknefs,  and  total  infuf- 
ficiency, in  themfelves,  to  work  out  their  o^^'n  falvation, 
while  they  have  fome  true  view  of  the  greatnefs,  difiicul- 
ty,  iiTiportance  and  neceflity  of  the  work,  and  that  it 
muft  be  done  by  them,  being  moft  reafonable,  and  their 
indifpcnfable  duty. 

This  felf-diflidence  every  Chriflian  feels  and  conftant- 
ly  exercifes  in  diiclaiming  all  moral  power  and  ability  to 
do  any  thing  towards  his  falvation,  if  left  to  himfeif, 
and  is  necefiarily  implied  in  that  humility  denoted  by 
fear  and  trembling. 

c.  This 


SeRM.    XI.  BY    FEAR.    AND    TREMBLING.  1 85 

2.  This  is  attended  with  a  thorough  conviclion,  and 
fenfiblc  acknowledgment,  that  this  their  weaknefs  and 
utter  infufHciency  is  wholly  their  own  fault ;  that  it 
conlifts  in  their  moral  depravity,  and  the  inexcufable 
wickednefs  of  their  own  hearts.  This  convidion  and 
view  of  themfelves  ftrikes  death  to  their  pride,  and  is 
an  effential  ingredient  in  Chriftian  humility,  and  in  fear 
and  tremblincr. 

3.  Confequently,  fear  and  trembling  includes  in  it 
an  affecdng  conviction  of  their  own  unworthinefs  and 
ill  defert ;  that  they  are  utterly  unworthy  of  falvation, 
and  of  that  afliilance  and  grace  by  which  alone  they  can 
obtain  it,  and  deferve  to  be  left  of  God  to  fall  into 
deftrucbion  ;  which  would  certainly  be  the  cafe,  in  a 
moment,  if  God  fhould  deal  with  them  according  to 
their  folly  and  crimes,  and  withhold  from  them  that 
alliftance  and  fovereign  goodnefs  which  they  are  con- 
ilantly  forfeiting,  and  pour  that  evil  on  their  heads 
which  they  are  provoking  him  to  in  Aid  ;  that  they  are 
therefore  in  the  hands  of  a  fovereign  God,  v/ho  has 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  liave  mercy,  and  whom  he  will 
he  hardeneth.  This  view  and  fcnfe  of  the  truth  will  not 
be  in  the  leaft  removed  or  abated  by  the  ftrongeil  well 
grounded  hope  and  confidence  that  this  fovereign  God 
has  had  mercy  on  them ;  and  therefore  does  not  in  any 
degree  exclude  the  humility,  the  fear  and  trembling, 
implied  in  a  real  and  conllant  conviction  of  thefe 
truths. 

4.  Fear  and  trembling  implies  a  fearful  and  trembling 
fenfe  of  the  infinite  and  amazing  dreadfulnefs  of  endlefs 
deftrucHpn,  which  the  Chriftian  conliders  and  dreads 
as  his  certain  portion,  if  he  fhould  have  his  defert,  and 
not  be  refcued  and  faved  from  it,  by  the  conftant  exer- 
tion of  the  mighty  pcSwer,  and  fovereign  grace  of  Jefus 
Chriil:.  The  ftrongeft  Chrifiian  hope  and  affurance  that 
they  have  a  divine  promife  that  they  ihall  cfcape  this 
evil,  and  be  kept  by  tlie  mighty  power  of  Chrift, 
through  faith,  unto  falvation,  v/ill  not  remove  or  abate 
this  av.'ful  viev/  of  deftrudion  :  but  they  who  have  the 

B  b  higheit 


J  86  VHAT    IS    MEANT  SeRM.    XI, 

lilgiicfl  well  grounded  confidence  of  their  falvation,  will 
have  the  grcatcll  fenfe  of  the  evil  implied  in  pcrilliing 
forever. 

5.  A  belief  and  fenfe  of  the  infinite  greatnefs,  power 
nnd  terrible  majefty  of  God,  and  a  correfpondent  con- 
viction of  their  own  littlenefs  and  nbthingnefs  in  his 
fight,  imprefling  ah  awe  of  his  difpleafurc,  and  dread  of 
iinning  againfl  him,  is  implied  in  fear  and  trembling. 
This  fenfe  and  feeling  will  increafe,  as  Chriftiahs  grow 
in  grace  and  in  the  knov/ledge  of  Jeliis  Chrift,  whatever 
evidence  and  afl'ui'ance  they  may  have  of  the  favour 
and  love  of  God. 

6.  The  Chriftiah  works  out  his  own  falvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  while  he  conftantly  views  and  feels 
the  dangers  with  which  he  is  furrounded,.  by  which  he 
h  liable  to  fall  and  periili,  and  againft  which  he  has  no 
flrength  and  fccurity  in  himfelf ;  that  he  is  always  fur- 
rounded  by  innumerable  hofts  of  inviilble,  fubtil,  potent 
Enemies,  who  are  fceking  his  eternal  rUiii,  and  doing  all 
they  can  to  prevent  his  falvation  ;  w^hile  he  has  no  more 
()Ower  or  lldll  in  himfelf  to  refill  or  efcape  their  rage, 
und  dcftruclion  by  them,  than  an  infant  has  to  conquer 
a  roaring  lion. 

This  is  the  reprefentation  which  Chrift  himfelf  gives 
of  tlie  ftatc  and  circumflances  of  a  Chriftian,  w^hile  in 
this  world.  He  fpeaks  to  every  Chriftian  of  which  his 
church  is  comDofed  in  the  following:  lano-uasje  :  "  Look 
unto  me  fi'om  the  lion's  dens,  from  the  rhountains  of 
the  leopards  :"  \^Solo?no7i* s  So?ig,  iv.  8.]  He  fpeaks  to 
his  church,  and  to  every  believer  of  which  it  is  com- 
pofed,  as  dwelling  among  lions,  even  iii  their  dens,  con- 
tinually expofed  to  be  devoured  by  them ;  and  in  the 
midft  of  leopards,  bCafts  of  pi'ey,  who  conceal  themfelves 
in  thickets  and  on  trees,  from  which  they  fuddcnly  dart 
themfelves,  feize  and  devour  men  as  they  pafs  :  denoting 
that  they  are  in  fuch  a  dangerous  ftate  in  this  world, 
and  continually  expofed  to  be  deftroyed  by  powerful, 
invifible  enemies,  which  is  fully  reprefented  by  perfons 
lying  in  tlie  dens  of  hungry,  devouring  lions,  or  on 

mountains 


SeRM.    XI.  BY    FEAR    AMD    TREMBLING.  187 

mountains  haunted  by  leopards,  every  moment  expofcd 
to  be  deftroyed  by  them,  having  nothing  to  defend 
themfelves  from  them.  He  calls  to  them  to  look  to 
him  as  their  onlv  refu2;e  and  deliverer,  lettinsr  them 
know  their  dangerous,  helplefs  lituation,  and  tnat  in 
him  alone  their  help  is  found. 

7.  This  is  attended  with  a  gonftant  and  incrcafing 
view  and  fenfe  of  the  dangerous  enemies  which  they 
have  within  themfelves,  confiding  in  their  moral  de- 
pravity and  evil  propendties  ;  that  if  Chrift  fhould  leave 
them  to  themfelves,  they  fliould  immediately  tu^n  his, 
enemies,  and  join  with  the  devil,  and  be  on  his  fide  and 
efpoufe  his  caufe  in  oppofition  to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  final- 
ly fall  with  him  into  eternal  deftru<5tion,. 

8.  Fear  and  trembling  is  not  only  confident  with, 
but  necelTarily  implies,  a  humble  and  conftant  depen- 
dence on  Jefus  Chrift  alone  for  grace  and  ftrength  to 
follow  him  throuQ-h  all  thefe  dan^^ers  and  difficulties, 
leaning  on  his  almighty  arm,  his  iniinite  wifdom,  good- 
nefs,  truth  and  faithfulnefs,  for  pardon  of  their  fins 
through  his  atonement,  and  deliverance  from  moral  de-. 
pravity;  for  power  and  diill  to  reftrain  and  conquer 
their  ov/n  lufts,  and  efcape  everlafting  deftrudion  ; 
trufting  in  him  to  v/ork  in  them  both  to  ',viU  and  to  do 
all  that  is  implied  in  their  working  out  their  own  falva-t 
tion.  This,  and  all  which  has  been  i)ientioned  in  the 
above  particulars,  is  implied  in  fear  and  trembling ;  in 
that  humility  and  faving  faith  by  which  the  Chriftian 
lives,  and  works  out  his  own  falvation.  By  this  he  be- 
comes ftrcng  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might.  His  grace  is  fud^cient  for  him,  and  by  it  he 
overcomes. 

9.  As  every  Chriftian  is  coming  vadly  diort  in  his 
duty  in  every  thing  which  lie  does,  and  is  conftantly 
guilty  of  much  fin,  fo  he  is  in  danger  of  unthought  of 
deviations  from  his  duty,  and  by  temptations  to  fall  into 
particular  grofs  fms,  againft  which  he  lias  no  fecurity  by 
the  promifes  of  the  covenant  of  grace ;  and  to  efcape 
thefe  he  depends  upon  the  fovereiga  will  of  God,  who 

worketh 


l88  WHAT    15    MEANT  SfRM.    XL 

worketh  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  hh  oii-n  good 
pleafure.  This  is  the  ground  of  a  conftant  dread  of  every 
iin  of  omifllon  or  commifTion,  and  continual  care  and 
watching  againft  all  iin,  and  fear  of  difplealing  God,  fo 
as  to  leave  him  to  commit  fome  particular  fin,  in  a  trem- 
bling fenfe  of  his  own  weakncfs,  and  the  certainty  that 
he  fliall  not  avoid  it  unlefs  God  be  pleafed  to  prevent  it, 
by  working  in  him  to  will  and  do  the  contrary.  With 
this  view  and  feeling  the  Chriftian  ought  daily  to  walk 
while  he  is  working  out  his  own  falvation,  however  af- 
fured  he  may  be  that  he  fhall  not  fall  away  finally  and 
mifs  of  falvation.  And  this  is  implied  in  the  fear  and 
trembling  recommended  in  the  text. 

lo.  While  Chriftians  are  working  out  their  own  fal- 
vation with  fear  and  tremibling,  they  are  fenfible  and 
acknowledge  that  by  their  own  works,  and  the  utmioft 
they  can  do,  they  do  not  in  the  leaft  recommend  them- 
felves  to  God,  as  deferving  any  favour  on  this  account ; 
but  are  infinitely  ill  deferving  as  linners,  for  which  all 
they  do  makes  not  the  leaft  atonement ;  and  fo  much 
depravity  and  fin  conftantly  attends  them  in  all  they 
will  and  do,  that  they  are  continually  adding  to  their 
guilt  and  ill  defert.  They  therefore  utterly  renounce 
all  dependence  on  their  own  righteoufnefs,  and  truft 
wholly  to  the  atonement  and  righteoufnefs  of  Jefus 
Chrift  for  the  pardon  of  their  fins,  and  for  all  the  favour 
and  blefiings  they  want  and  hope  for,  willing  and  re- 
joicing to  receive  all  this  purely  for  the  fake  of  his  atone- 
ment and  worthinefs,  while  they  are  confidered  in  them- 
felves  as  infinitely  unworthy  of  the  leaft  favour,  and  de- 
ferving of  endlefs  deftruclion.  This  view  of  themfelves, 
and  cordial  acknowledgment  of  it,  is  agreeable  to  truth, 
and  efiential  to  Chrifi:ian  humility,  while  they  live  by 
faith  on  Jefus  Chrift,  and  "  walk  humbly  with  God.'* 
Thus  the  Chriftian  faith  (it  is  the  conftant  language  of  his 
heart) "In  the  Lord  have  I  righteoufnefs  and  ftrength  ;'* 
ftrength  to  work  out  my  own  falvation,  and  righteouf- 
nefs to  recommend  m.e  to  pardon  and  the  favour  of 
God,     In  the  ^xercife  of  this  fear  and  trembling  the 

apoftle 


&ERM.    XL  EV    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  JS9 

apoftle  Paul  renounced  all  dependence  on  his  own  works, 
defiring  to  be  found  in  Chriit,  nut  having  any  rightcoui- 
nefs  of  his  own,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
Chrift,  the  righteoufncfs  which  is  of  God  by  faith.  Such 
only  are  of  a  contrite  and  humble  fplrit,  who  tremble 
at  the  word  of  God  ;  conflantly  ilying  for  refuge  from 
the  wrath  to  come,  and  laying  hold  on  the  hope  fct  be- 
fore them  in  Chrift  Jefus.  He  who  trufls  to  himfelf 
that  he  is  righteous,  and  attempts  to  recommend  him- 
felf to  God,  or  thinks  he  defcrveth  any  favour  for  his 
own  works,  exercifeth  that  pride  and  felf  confidence 
which  excludes  fear  and  trembling,  and  is  contrary  to 
living  by  faith. 

What  has  been  now  faid,  in  the  defcription  of  fear  and 
trembling,  may  be  in  a  partial  and  imperfed  manner 
reprefented  by  the  following  fimilitude. 

Aperfonfinds  himfelf  in  the  midft  of  a  hideous  foreil 
and  thicket,  in  which  are  unpaffabie  mountains,  fwamps 
and  dreadful  precipices ;  he  himfelf  is  lick  unto  death, 
and  not  able  to  walk  a  ftep,  while  he  lees  himfelf  fur- 
rounded  by  hungry  lions,  and  innumerable  other  beads 
of  prey,  tlireatening  to  rudi  upon  him  and  devour  him. 
And  on  confideration  he  finds  he  has  brouc^ht  himfelf 
into  this  dangerous,  wretched  ftate  by  his  own  inexcuf- 
able  folly,  and  that  his  dlforders  and  weaknefs  arc  really 
his  own  fault ;  that  he  has  greatly  abufed  the  Lord  and 
owner  of  the  territory  in  which  he  is,  and  all  things  in 
it ;  that  he  might  tlierefore  jufdy  in  his  difpleafure  de- 
liver him  to  the  tormentors,  and  to  be  miferably  devour- 
ed by  the  fierce  beafts  of  prey.  While  he  is  in  this  fitu- 
ation,  giving  himfelf  up  to  defpair,  as  wholly  loft  and 
doomed  to  inevitable  deftruclion,  the  great  perfonage, 
the  owner  of  the  foreft  and  all  that  it  contained,  appears 
to  him.,  and  tells  him  that  though  he  had  abufed  him, 
and  had  ruined  him.felf,  by  his  own  inexcufable  folly, 
yet  he  was  ready  to  forgive  him,  and  was  able  and  dif- 
pofed  to  cure  him  of  his  diforders,  and  give  him  ftrength 
to  walk,  and  to  extricate  him  from  the  evil  and  danger- 
ous ilate  in  which  he  was,  and  make  him  happy  in  the 

moli 


ipO  WHAT    IS    MEANT  SeRM.    XI, 

moft  agreeable  circumftances.  Upon  this  he  ftrctched 
out  his  hand,  and  bid  him  take  hold  of  it,  and  he  fliould 
be  fafely  led  out  of  this  horrid  place.  The  poor  man 
felt  an  invifible  energ)^  accompanying  this  propofal  and 
command,  by  which  he  was  ftrengthened  and  willing  to 
lay  fail  hold  of  the  nobleman's  hand,  and  to  truft  wliolly 
in  him  as  his  deliverer,  plcafed  to  be  wholly  dependent 
on  him  for  all  the  good  he  wanted,  having  in  himfelf 
not  the  leall  fufliciency  to  help  hirnfelf,  and  being  utter, 
ly  unworthy  of  the  favour  now  offered  to  him,  firmly 
believing  the  truth  and  ability  of  his  patron  to  accom- 
pliili  all  he  had  promifed. 

The  nobleman  told  him,  that  though  he  depended 
wholly  on  him  for  all  his  ttrcngth  to  acf  and  walk,  and. 
every  volition  to  exert  himfelf  in  order  to  efcape  the  dan-r 
gers  of  this  wilclernefs,  refift  the  wild  beafts,  pafs  through 
the  fwamps  and  miry  marfhes,  afcend  the  ft eep  mountains, 
and  ftand  firm  on  the  brink  and  fide  of  dreadful  preci- 
pices, and  arrive  to  the  promifed  land  ;  yet  he  muft  be 
active,  and  work  out  this  his  falvation  in  the  exercife  of 
his  own  care  and  conftant  labour ;  he  muft  refift  the 
beafts  of  prey,  and  by  his  watchfulncfs  and  exertions  in 
every  llep  of  the  dangerous,  difficult  way  he  had  to  go, 
he  muft  perfevere  in  his  work,  and  in  obedience  to  him, 
till  he  ihould  bring  him  to  a  place  of  fafety  and  reft  ; 
that,  in  a  fcnfe  of  his  own  infufficiency  to  v,'iil  or  do  any 
thing  in  this  travel  in  order  to  his  falvation,  and  his  total 
and  conftant  dependence  on  his  patron,  for  difpofition 
and  ftrcngth  to  will  and  do,  and  perfevere  in  the  \i'ork 
before  him,  he  muft  keep  his  eye  upon  him,  and  place 
all  his  truft  in  him,  keeping  hold  of  his  hand,  or  of  a 
ftrong  cord  which  fliould  be  faftened  to  himfelf,  his  pa-" 
Iron,  and  always  be  in  his  reach,  when  his  hand  was  not. 
And  in  this  way  he  ftiould  be  carried  fafely  on  to  the 
land  of  promife. 

Thus  the  poor  man  fet  out,  confiding  in  the  power, 
truth  and  faithfulnefs  of  his  patron,  and  difclaimiing  all 
confidence  in  himfelf;  continuing  his  courfe  through 
hideous  fwair.ps,  and  over  high  and  fteep  mountains, 

and 


SeRM.    XI*  BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLliTG.  tgt 

and  on  the  edge  of  dreadful  precipices,  when  by  lofin^ 
his  hold  or  taking  one  wrong  ftep  lie  fhould  fall  and  be 
dalhed  in  pieces  in  a  moment,  unlefs  prevented  by  hi.> 
guide,  making  ufe  of  the  ftrong  cord  when  his  patron 
was  out  of  fight.  Thus  he  went  on  in  the  exercife  of 
conftant  care  and  watchfulnefs,  and  incefl'ant  exertion, 
taking  heed  that  every  ftep  of  his  fliouid  be  according 
to  the  direction  of  his  leader ;  and  found  that  the  ef- 
forts which  he  made  to  refill  the  wild  beafts  of  prey, 
which  continually  fought  to  devour  him,  were  efleclual 
to  make  them  fiy  from  him,  and  thus  he  kept  himfelf 
from  their  deadly  touch.  And  the  farther  he  went,  he 
became  more  afraid  of  difpleafing  his  guide,  who  was 
fo  worthy,  kind  and  condefcending ;  and  increafed  in 
a  fcnfe  of  his  danger  if  left  to  himfelf,  and  the  certainty 
and  dreadfulnefs  of  the  deftruction  which  would  in  thac 
cafe  await  him  j  confiding  altogether  in  the  power,  wif- 
dom,  truth  and  goodnefs  of  his  patroni.  He  fometimes 
in  a  meafure  forgot  his  own  weaknefs,  and  conftant  de- 
pendence on  his  patron,  and  attempted  to  fland  and 
walk  in  his  own  ilrength  ;  but  this  always  coif  him 
dear  ;  for  when  he  thoucrht  thus  to  fland,  he  certainlv 
,  and  it  proved  the  occafion  of  fhame  and  humiliation. 
And  he  made  many  wrong  fteps,  which  he  knew  was 
ofFeniive  to  his  patron,  which  filled  him  with  lliame  and 
pain,  and  ferved  to  increafe  felf-abhorrence  and  diffi- 
dence in  himfelf.  Thus  he  v/ent  on  through  all  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  of  the  way,  in  fear  and  trem- 
bling, increasing  in  felf-diffidence  and  humility,  and  in. 
his  humble  dependence  and  trull  in  his  able,  faithful  pa- 
tron, till  he  came  to  the  promifed  land  of  fafety  and 
reft,  Vv'herc  he  is  to  live  a  happy  and  endlefs  life. 

From  the  whole  which  has  been  laid  in  the  defcrip- 
tion  of  fear  and  trembling,  the  refuit  is,  that  it  confilts 
moft  eifentially  in  Chriilian  humility  and  poverty  of 
fpirit,  in  a  {enic  of  their  own  weaknefs,  and  infufficiency 
to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  and  a  humble  truft  in 
God  for  his  conftant,  powerful  energy  on  their  hearts, 
difpofing  and  pronripting  them  cftcduallv  to  vriii  and  to 

dG 


igt  WHAT    IS    MEANT  SeRM.    XT. 

do  all  that  they  muft  will  and  do  in  order  to  be  faved  ; 
together  with  all  thofe  views  and  exercises  which  are  im- 
plied in  this,  according  to  the  various  obje<5ls  in  their 
fight,  and  the  circumftances  with  which  they  are  at- 
tended. This  is  efl'eritial  to  the  life  of  all  Chriftians, 
and  to  the  exercife  of  every  Chriilian  grace ;  and  the 
more  they  have  of  this,  the  flronger  and  more  beautiful 
Chriftians  they  are.  Thus  the  apoftle  Paul  worked  out 
his  own  falvation  u^ith  fear  and  trembling,  while  confi- 
dent and  aiTured  of  the  favour  and  love  of  God,  and  of 
eternal  life.  He  felt  himfeif  to  be  nothing  but  weak- 
iiefs,  while  he  was  ilrong  in  the  Lord ;  to  be  lefs  than 
the  Icaft  of  all  faints,  and  that  he  was  nothing,  and  the 
chief  of  finners.  He  felt  that  all  his  fuilicicncv  was  of 
God  ;  that  by  his  grace  working  effeftually  in  him,  he 
was  what  he  was,  and  did  what  he  did  in  the  Chiiftian 
life.  Well  might  he  then  •recommend  this  fear  and 
trembling  to  all  Chriftians,  as  eflential  to  their  charac- 
ter, without  which  all  their  attempts  to  work  out  their 
own  falvation  would  be  in  vain,  and  end  in  lad  difau- 
pointment. 

And  if  this  Apoflle  did  work  out  his  falvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  then  the  greateft  and  moft  affured 
Chriflian  does  not  get  beyond  or  above  this  ;  but  the 
more  he  has  of  it,  the  greater  is  his  ftrength  and  excel- 
lence. This  has  been  in  fome  meafure  kept  in  view 
through  the  whole  of  this  defcription  of  fear  and  trem- 
bling. And  the  Chriflian  who  has  not  an  afiurance  of 
Ins  falvation,  but  at  times  is  in  great  doubts  whether 
he  be  a  real  Chriflian  or  not ;  though  he  may  difler  in 
fome  refpcfls  in  his  views,  feelings  and  exercifes  from 
the  allured  Chriflian,  yet  he  is  working' out  his  falva- 
tion with  this  fame  fear  and  trembling  which  the  affur- 
ed  Chriilian  has,  while  he  is  attended  with  many 
doubts  and  fears,  which  perfe6l,  or  a  more  flrong  love 
would  caft  out. 

From  the  foregoing  view  of  fear  and  trembling,  it 
appears  to  confiil  in  a  difpofition  and  exercifes  of  heart 
wiiich  are  in  direct  oppofition  to  a  felf-righteous  fpirit, 

or 


SeRM.  XT.     EY  FEAR  AND  TREMBLING.  10^ 

or  a  trufl  and  confidence  in  ourfelves,  relying  on  ov.r 
own  ftrcngtli  and  fufficiency  to  work  out  our  own  fal- 
vatlon,  depending  en  this  as  a  righteoufnefs  to  recom- 
mend to  divine  favour.  They  Vv-ko  are  of  this  difpofi- 
tion  depend  on  thcmfelves  to  move  /f ';/?,  and  fet  them- 
felves  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  hoping  for  all 
the  favour  they  think  tliey  want,  as  the  confequence  of 
their  thus  v/orking,  and  out  of  regard  to  it.  This  evil 
difpolition,  which  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  Chriftian 
exercifes,  our  Saviour  fets  in  a  clear  and  itriking  light 
in  the  character  and  conducr  of  the  pharifee,  who  ap- 
plies to  God  in  a  confidence  in  his  ovv^n  fafhciency 
and  righteoufnefs,  trufting  in  himfelf  that  he  is  righ- 
teous, valuing  himfelf  on  his  OM^n  fuppofed  good  cha- 
racter, and  defpifing  others.  The  publican  is  an  inftance 
of  humble  fear  and  trembling. 


miaeras^mwBmamtmu^uBMtij'  »,».WLmnijtujwn'M»^ 


^tvmon  XII. 


Phil.  ii.  12,  13.  Work  out  your  own  falvation  nvith  fear 
and  tremhUng  :  for  it  is  God  zu/jo  ivorketb  in  you,  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleafure. 

III.  nMHE  next  thing  propofcd  Is,  to  confider  and  Ciow 
|_  what  is  the  meaning  of  God's  working  in 
Chriftians  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure. 
This  may  be  done  by  attending  to  the  following  parti- 
culars. 

I.  Working  in  men  to  will  and  to  do,  muft  intend 
more  than  affording  them  external  means  and  advanta- 
ges, and  urging  them  by  external  motives  to  will  and 
to  do ;  for  this  cannot  with  any  propriety  be  called 
working  in  them,  when  all  that  is  fuppofed  to  be  done 
is  done  out  of  them  and  externally.  Som.e  have  fup- 
pofed this  to  be  all  the  meaning  of  thefe  words  ;  not 
C  c  bccaufe 


^194  ^^^    WORKING    IN    MEN  SlKMa   Xlh 

becaufe  It  is  the  natural  meaning  of  them,  for  it  is  a 
forced  meaning ;  but  becaufe  they  think  man  needs  no 
more  to  be  done  for  him  in  order  to  his  working  out 
his  own  falvation,  and  that  any  thing  more,  and  an  im- 
mediate operation  on  the  will,  is  inconfiftent  with  his 
liberty,  and  his  actions  being  his  own,  or  really  virtu- 
ous.  But  the  abfurdity  of  all  this  has  been  often  ful- 
ly ihewn,  and  will  appear  before  this  fubject  is  finiihed. 
it  is  fuilicient  to  obferve  here,  that  to  fay  that  an  opera- 
tion on  the  human  heart  which  effeclually  influences 
men  to  will  and  to  do,  that  is,  to  act  voluntarily,  and 
confequently  freely,  is  inconfiftent  with  their  ailing 
voluntarily,  and  willing  and  doing  any  thing  in  the 
exercife  of  all  the  liberty  which  can  in  nature  exift  or 
,be  conceived  of,  is  inconfiftent  with  human  liberty,  is 
as  flat  and  palpable  a  contradiction  as  can  be  made.  If 
to  work  in  men  fo  as  effectually  to  prevent  their  willing 
and  doing  in  any  particular  inftance,  be  inconfiftent 
Viith  their  having  or  exercifing  any  freedom  in  that 
inft4nce ;  then  working  in  them  fo  as  effectually  to 
make  them  will  and  do  in  that  iJaftance,  or  any  other, 
is  to  promote  their  liberty,  and  caufe  them  to  a6t  freely. 
And  to  fay  that  what  men  do  voluntarily  is  not  in  all 
cafes  their  own  act  and  deed,  is  to  fay  that  men  are  not 
capable  of  doing  any  thing  which  is  their  own  act ;  for 
they  can  do  nothing  but  what  they  do  voluntarily,  and 
the  ftronger  and  the  more  forcibly  the  motives  are  im- 
prefled  on  their  minds  to  induce  them  to  will  and  a6t^ 
the  more  freely  they  act,  and  the  more  fenfibly  are  their 
choice  and  ad:ions  their  own,  and  the  more  virtuous 
they  are,  if  agreeable  to  the  truth. 

2.  This  does  not  mean  any  divine  operation  on  man, 
which  refpe6ts  his  willing  and  doing,  of  which  willing 
and  doing  is  not  the  certain  confequence,  and  which 
therefore  is  confiftent  with  his  not  willing  and  doing. 
For  any  divine  operation  in  man,  of  which  his  willing 
and  doing  is  not  the  effect,  is  not  Vv'orking.in  him  to 
will  ar;d  to  do;  becaufe,  notwithftanding  fuch  opera- 
tion, he  is  left  ftiort  of  wilHng  and  doing.     To  work  in 

men 


SeRM.    XII.  TO    WILL    AND    TO   DO.  I95 

men  to  will  and  to  do,  is  to  do  that  which  is  effedual  to 
produce  the  will  and  the  deed,  fo  that  there  is  a  certain 
connexion  between  the  former  and  the  latter.  And 
this  is  the  import  of  the  original  word  here  tranflated 
worketh.  It  fignifies,  to  operate  with  energy,  and  ef- 
fedually  to  accomplifh  the  end,  and  produce  the  willing 
and  doing. 

That  working  in  men  to  will  which  leaves  them  fliort 
of  willing,  is  the  fame  with  working  in  them  to  will,  if 
they  iviil,  which  is  talking  moft  abfurdly.  Men  are  al- 
ways able  to  will,  if  they  will.,  and  need  no  fpedal 
affiftance  or  influence  on  them  to  will  what  they  will,  or 
if  they  will,  which  is  the  fame.  If  men  are  willing,  or 
do  will,  they  have  no  need  of  any  operation  or  afTiftance 
to  make  them  willing ;  for  this  they  have  already  by 
the  fuppofition ;  for  they  at  all  times  can  will,  if  they 
will.  There  can  therefore  be  no  fuch  operation  ;  and 
any  fuppofed  alliftance  or  working  in  them  which  leavev? 
them  not  aftually  willing  or  doing  is  not  working  in 
them  to  will  and  to  do. 

3.  God  worketh  in  Chriftians  to  will  and  to  do,  by 
giving  them  the  powerful  influences  of  his  Spirit,  with- 
out which  they  would  neither  will  nor  do  thofe  things 
by  which  they  work  out  their  own  falvation,  and  which 
are  effectual  to  caufe  them  to  will  and  do  them  ;  there 
being  a  certain  and  infallible  connedion  of  one  with  the 
other. 

Men  are  naturally,  while  wholly  deflitute  of  fuch  in- 
fluences, not  only  entirely  deftitute  of  all  inclination  to 
every  thing  that  is  truly  virtuous  and  holy,  but  their 
hearts  or  wills  are  obftinately  fet  in  them  to  do  evil,  and 
they  run  fwiftly  on  with  all  their  hearts  towards  de- 
flrudion  ;  and  they  go  on  in  this  courfe  until  God 
changes  their  hearts,  by  taking  away  the  heart  oi  ftone, 
the  obftinate,  rebellious  heart,  and  giving  them  a  new 
heart,  a  humble,  obedient  heart,  and  thus  makes  them 
willing  to  obey  him,  in  the  day  of  his  power,  or  by  his 
omnipotent  energy  on  their  hearts.  And  when  he  has 
fcegun  this  great  and  good  work  in  any  whom  he  pleaf- 

es. 


I9S  GOD    V/ORKIXG    IN    MEil  SeRIM.    XII. 

es,  he  carries  it  on  until  the  day  of  Chrift,  and  takes 
care  conftantly  to  grant  them  that  alliftance  and  thofe 
influi^nces  by  which  he  thoroughly  and  effectually  work- 
ctli  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  ail  thofe  things 
whereby  they  work  out  their  own  faivation,  and  are 
prepared  to  dv/ell  with  Jefus  Chrift  in  his  kingdom  for- 
ever. They  recei^'C  the  Spirit  of  Chrift  when  they  firil 
become  Ciiriftians,  to  be  in  and  dwell  with  them  for- 
ever, by  vv'hom  they  are  led,  and  who  is  the  author  of 
every  holy  exerciie  of  heart  which  they  have,  and  of  all 
the  good  v/orks  tliey  do,  by  which  they  go  on  in  the 
way  to  heaven,  and  until  they  are  made  perfeclly  holy. 
Tlicy  being  interefted  in  the  prcmifcs  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  their  faivation  is  made  fure,  and  God  is  engaged 
by  promife  never  to  leave  them  or  forfake  them,  but  to 
lead  them  fofely  on  to  glory,  and  that  he  will  keep  them 
by  his  mighty  power,  through  their  faith,  by  which 
they  Ihali  work  out  their  own  faivation. 

That  God  thus  works  in  all  true  Chriftians  to  will 
and  to  do  all  they  will  and  do  in  working  out  their  own 
ialvation,  and  that  they  are  thus  wholly  dependent  on 
him  for  every  right  motion  and  choice  of  heart,  and 
for  every  good  thing  they  do,  is  not  only  plainly  aflert- 
ed  in  the  words  of  the  text,  which  cannot  be  under- 
jlood  in  any  other  fenfe  than  that  which  lias  been  given 
of  them,  without  flraining  and  forcing  them  to  fpeak 
an  unnatural  fenfe,  but  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  in- 
numerable other  pa,llages  of  Icripture,  which  fpeak  the 
fam.e  language,  and  aiTert  the  fame  thing  ;  too  many  to 
be  rehearfed  here,  and  of  which  the  careful,  intelligent 
reader  of  the  Bible  cannot  be  ignorant.  And  this  is  ex- 
prefsly  or  implicitly  acknowledged  by  all  Chriftians  in 
their  prayers,  hov/ever  fome  profeiling  Chriftians  may 
in  their  fpeculations,  and  even  in  the  feelings  and  tenor 
of  the  exercifes  of  their  hearts,  contradict  it. 

4.  There  appeart>  to  be  fome  intended  diiterence  be- 
tween willing  and  doing,  when  it  faid,  God  worketh  in 
Chriftians  both  to  will  and  to  do.     Strictly  fpeaking, 

men  are  active  in  nothins;  but  in  the  exercife  of  their 

^  ,  ,;u 

V.  1x1. 


SeRM.    Xlf.  TO    WILL    AND    TO    J30,  fg"/ 

will,  or  in  ■willhig  ;  and  therefore  do  nothing  elfc  :  yet 
the  effects  and  conl'equenccs  of  the  exertions  of  their 
willing,  which  by  divine  conUitution  are  connected  with 
their  a<5ts  of  will,  and  their  voluntary  exertions,  they 
are  faid  to  do  or  to  be  done  by  them,  and  are  conhder- 
ed  as  in  fonie  fenfe  dilliincl  from  their  voHtions  ;  lo  that 
Av'hen  their  wiii  is  carried  into  full  execution,  they  may 
be  faid  to  do  Vvhat  they  willed,  and  fo  both  to  -iv'///  and 
to  do.  And  when  any  thing  is  willed,  determined  or 
chofen,  which  will  cannot  be  immediately  put  into  ex- 
ecution, but  the  a(5t  or  event  v/illed  is  future,  and  at  a 
diftance,  when  fuch  a  choice  is  executed  and  effected, 
the  pcrfon  thus  willing  has  both  willed  and  done  the 
acfion  cr  event.  Thus,  when  a  man  wills  and  deter- 
mines to  attend -public  worlhip  devoutly  the  next  fab - 
bath,  or  to  vifit  one  of  his  neighbours  and  to  give  him 
Ibme  ialutary  advice  and  exhortation,  or  to  give  fome- 
tliing  to  the  poor,  he  wills  tliofe  things  ;  but  they  are 
not  yet  done,  till  by  a  courfe  of  acts  of  will  they  actual- 
ly take  place  and  are  effected ;  and  then  he  hath  both 
willed  and  done  them.  Thefe  obfervations  may  ferve 
to  fliew  the  propriety  of  the  diffinclion  in  the  words 
before  us  between  willing  and  doing,  and  what  the 
dlilinclion  imiports.  The  Apoftie  makes  this  lam^e  ciif- 
tinclion  more  than  once.  He  fays,  "  To  will  is  prcient 
with  me  ;  but  how  to  periorm  that  which  is  good  I 
find  not:'*  [^Rom.  \A\,  i8.]  He  found  a  ftrong  delire 
and  inclination  to  do  many  good  things,  and  was  hearty 
in  willing  them  :  but  when  he  came  to  put  w^hat  he 
willed  into  aclual  execution,  he  failed  of  coming  up 
fully  to  what  he  willed,  and  felt  the  neceffity  that  God 
ffiould  work  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do  ;  and  that 
when  he  faithfully  executed  his  own  will  it  was  owing 
to  the  effeduai  grace  of  God,  working  in  him  not  only 
to  will,  but  to  do  it.  He,  v/riting  to  the  Corinthians 
refpefling  a  collection  for  the  poor,  fays  to  them,  "  Now 
therefore  perform  the  doing  of  it ;  that  as  there  v/as  a 
readinefs  to  ivtll,  fo  there  may  be  ^  performance  2lio:'* 

c.  The 


tgS  THE  FORCE  o?  Serm.  XII. 

5.  The  words  which  are  added,  "  Of  his  good  plea- 
fure,"  remain  yet  to  be  explained.  The  meaning  ap- 
pears to  be,  that  God  worketh  in  men  to  will  and  to  do 
as  it  pleafes  him,  in  the  exercife  of  his  fovereign  good- 
nefs,  who  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy, 
and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.  In  the  beginning  of 
this  work,  he  choofes  whom  he  will  to  be  the  fubjecls 
of  it,  not  being  under  obligation  to  any  ;  who  are  all 
•wholly  gone  out  of  the  way,  their  hearts  being  fet 
againft  God,  and  every  thing  which  has  the  nature  of 
holinefs.  God  waits  not  to  have  them  turn  and  will 
that  which  is  right,  for  this  they  would  never  do,  if  left 
to  themfelves,  whatever  means  are  ufed,  and  motives 
fet  before  them,  to  perfuade  them  to  it.  He  firft  be- 
gins, and  gives  them  a  new  heart,  and' creates  them  in 
Chrift  Jefus  unto  good  works,  and  works  in  them  to 
■will  and  to  do.  Thus,  not  by  works  of  righteoufnefs 
which  they  had  done  (for  they  were  dead  in  trefpaffes 
and  fms,  altogether  rebellious)  but  according  to  his 
mercy,  he  faved  them,  by  the  wafliing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghoft.  And  being  thus  made 
willing  by  the  powerful  operation  of  God  on  their 
hearts,  according  to  his  fovereign  good  pleafure  ;  and 
having  begun  the  good  work,  and  they  being  brought 
anto  that  covenant,  according  to  which  he  has  in  his 
fovereign  grace  promifed  to  carry  it  on  till  it  is  com- 
pleted ;  he  worketh  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  fo  as  to 
infure  and  perfeft  their  falvation,  in  that  manner  and 
degree  which  is  according  to  his  fovereign  good  pleafure. 

The  next  thing  propoled  is, 

IV.  To  coniider  the  force  of  the  argument  by  which 
the  foregoing  exhortation  is  urged,  or  the  reafon  given 
why  Chriftians  lliould  work  out  their  own  falvation 
ivlth  fear  and  tremblings  introduced  and  denoted  by  the 
particle  For.  "  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you, 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleafure." 

In  order  to  fet  this  in  the  true  and  beft  light,  what 
has  been  before  obferved  muft  be  kept  in  view,  viz. 
that  the  deiign  and  force  of  the  exhortation  is  not  mere- 


SeRM.    Xn*  THE    ARGUMENT.  tg^ 

ly  or  chiefly  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  but  to 
do  this  in  a  particular  way  and  manner,  ivith  fear  and 
trcvibliiig.  They  began  to  work  out  their  own  falvation 
when  the  Apoftle  was  with  them,  and  had  made  great 
progrefs  in  this  work,  after  he  had  left  them  ;  and  he 
now  enjoins  upon  them  to  go  on  in  this  great  work, 
with  fear  and  trembling,  with  felf  diffidence,  in  a  fenfe 
of  their  own  infufEciency,  and  their  conftant  abfolute 
dependence  on  God  ;  with  humility  and  poverty  of 
fpirit,  and  all  thofe  feelings  and  exercifes  which  are  im- 
plied in  this. 

And  he  urges  this  upon  them  with  this  good  and 
forcible  reafon,  "  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you, 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  go'od  pleaiure."  You 
have  no  fulliciency  of  your  own  to  do  or  will  any  thing 
right,  but  are  always  and  entirely  dependent  on  God, 
who  is  the  author  of  every  choice  and  exertion  by 
which  you  are  enabled  to  proceed  in  the  Chriftian  life, 
who  is  above  all  controul,  and  a6ls  as  an  abfolute  fove- 
reign  in  this  matter.  And  without  him  you  can  do 
nothing. 

The  fenfe  of  this  paffage  of  fcripture,  as  it  has  been 
now  explained,  may  be  exprelTed  in  the  following 
words. 

"  My  beloved  fellow  Chriftians,  as  you  gave  up  your- 
felves  to  Jefus  Chrift,  to  obey  and  ferve  him,  when  I 
was  prefent  with  you,  and  have  fince,  in  my  abfence^ 
continued  and  made  great  advances  in  your  obedience, 
I  earneftly  exhort  you  to  go  on  in  your  Chriftian  courfe 
with  that  holy  fear  and  trembling  which  implies  a  fenfe 
of  the  difficulty,  greatnefs  and  importance  of  the  work 
which  is  before  you,  keeping  in  view  the  eternal  happi- 
nefs  and  glory  which  the  gofpel  fets  before  you,  and 
the  infinite  evil  that  awaits  all  who  come  (hort,  together 
with  a  conftant  conviction  of  your  utter  moral  weak- 
nefs,  and  infufficiency  for  this  work,  and  your  entire 
and  conftant  dependence  on  God  for  his  powerful  alfif- 
tance  in  every  ftep  you  take  ;  fo  that  if  he  fhould  leave 
you  to  yourfelves  you  would  certainly  come  ihort  and 

pcriHi, 


200  THJ!:    FORCE    Of  Si  RM.    XTI^ 

periih.  Be  on  your  conftant  guard  ag;iinft  the  leaft 
confidence  and  truft  in  yourlelves  ;  be  not  liigli  minded, 
becaufe  you  have  been  thus  diilinguilficd,  and  have 
continued  in  your  obedience,  making  advances  in  the 
Chriftian  life ;  but  fear  :  be  humble,  and,  in  a  con{l:ant 
fenfe  of  your  own  utter  infufficiency,  to  do  the  leall 
thing  towards  your  falvation,  of  yourfelves,  put  your 
whole  trull  in  God  at  all  times  for  his  conftant  influence 
and  help,  by  which  alone  you  will  be  able  to  work  out 
your  own  lalvation. 

"  This  caution  and  exhortation  to  go  on  in  your  Chrif- 
tian Gourfe  with  this  fear  and  trembling  is  proper  and 
important,  as  it  is  natural  to  man  to  be  high  minded^ 
and  to  truft  in  himfclf ;  and  even  Chriftians,  through 
their  remaining  depravity,  are  in  danger  of  a  crim.inal 
desTcc  of  this,  in  a  meafarc  foraretting:  their  own  weak- 
nefs  and  infufliciency  and  dependence  on  God,  by  which 
they  greatly  injure  themfelvcs  ;  and  becaufe  thus  to  fear 
and  tremble  is  effcntial  to  the  life  of  a  Chriftian,  and 
cannot  be  exercifed  in  too  hi!;^h  a  deo:ree  :  for  the  more 
a  Chriftian  has  of  this,  the  more  beautiful  and  perfect  is 
his  character,  and  he  will  work  out  his  own  falvatioii 
with  greater  fafety,  ftrength  and  activity.  And  there 
is  the  hi2;heft  reafon  and  the  ftron2;eft  motive  for  Chrif- 
tians  to  work  out  their  own  falvation  with  this  fear  and 
trembling,  to  which  I  am  exhorting,  becaufe  they  are  in 
fact  thus  entirely  and  always  dependent  on  God  for 
every  right  motion  of  their  heart,  and  all  they  do  in 
this  work,  as  all  they  will  and  do  is  the  eifed  of  a  di- 
vine operation  efFectually  working  in  them  both  to  will 
and  do,  and  that  of  his  ibvereign  good  pleafure,  and  en- 
tirely independent  of  them." 

The  Apoftle  exhorts  them  to  maintain  a  humbllns: 
fenfe  of  their  depravity,  moral  weaknefs,  and  utter  in- 
fufliciency to  the  work  in  which  they  were  engaged, 
and  had  made  confiderable  progrefs,  and  their  entire 
dependence  on  God  for  every  right  exercife  of  heart ; 
to  remember  and  realize  that  all  they  had  attained  to 
in  the  Chriftian  \ih  was  to  be  afcribed  to  God  working- 

in 


SeRM.    XII.  THE    ARGUMENT.  20l 

in  them  to  will  and  to  do  it ;  and  that  they  were  ftill 
thus  dependent  on  him  for  every  right  choice  and  ac- 
tion ;  fo  tliat  if  God  fhould  ceafe  to  work  in  them  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  they  would  immediately  fall  away 
and  perifh. 

The  Apoftle  was  fenlible  of  the  dlfpolition  in  man  to 
overlook  his  dependence  on  God  every  moment  for 
every  right  motion  of  his  vvill  j  and  to  truft  in  himfelf, 
relying  on  his  own  ftrength  and  fufficiency :  and  he 
knew  how  fatal  this  difpofition  was  to  the  fouls  of  men, 
if  it  were  not  counterafted  and  mortified  ;  and  that 
Chriftians  had  need  to  be  reminded  of  this.  He  there- 
fore warns  the  Chriftians  at  Philippi  to  avoid  this  fatal 
rock ;  and  at  the  fame  time  marks  out  the  only  true 
and  fafe  way  to  heaven.  And  happy  would  it  have 
been  for  many  profeffing  Chriftians  fince,  if  they  had 
attended  to,  underftood  and  conformed  to  this  apoftolic 
direction  ;  wJio,  contrary  to  this,  have  thought  them- 
felves  fomething  when  they  were  nothing,  and  have  at- 
tempted to  work  out  their  own  falvation  in  their  own 
ftrength,  relying  on  their  own  fulEciency  to  will  and 
to  do  ;  and  confequently  never  have  willed  and  done 
any  thing  right,  and  really  holy,  but  have  perifhed  in 
the  foolifh,  prefumptuous  attempt. 

Having  attempted  to  explain  thefe  words,  under  the 

four  preceding  heads,   as  was  propofed,  we  come  now. 

Fifthly,  To  improve  the  fubjeft  to  practical  purpofes. 

I.  From  the  explanation  which  has  been  given  of 
this  important  paflage  of  fcripture,  if  it  be  in  any  mea- 
fure  juft  and  right,  we  learn  that  many  have  overlooked 
the  true  fenfe  of  thefe  words,  have  put  a  wrong  mean- 
ing upon  them,  and  perverted  them  to  very  bad  pur- 
pofes. 

They  are  fuch  who  ailert  man's  fufficiency  to  work 
out  his  own  falvation  of  himfelf,  without  any  diftin- 
guilhing,  efficacious  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
effeclualiy  working  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do  all 
that  is  neceflary  for  his  falvation ;  and  deny  that  man  is 
abfolutely  and  whoUv  dependent  on  God  ia  M'orking 
D  d'  out 


!f<31  Ats    IMPROVfiM£NT  SfRM»    XTt^ 

mit  his  own  falvation  ;  but  hold  that  he  who  does  this 
dilHngiuihes  himfelt,  independent  of  Gods  afliftance,  of 
which  he  has  no  more  than  they  have  who  do  not 
work  out  their  own  falvation.  They  who  efpoufc  and 
contend  for  this  fentiment,  are  wont  to  appeal  to  the 
firft  words  of  the  paffage  before  us,  "  Work  out  your 
<)\vn  falvation;"  and  think  this  fufliciently  fupports 
their  caufe,  and  alTerts  that  men  are,  of  themfelves,  ta 
•work  out  their  own  falvation,  independent  of  any  in- 
ternal divine  influence  on  their  hearts  effectually  to  will 
and  to  do.  At  the  fame  time  they  wholly  overlook  the 
following  words  ;  or,  if  they  are  urged  againft  them, 
they  put  an  unnatural  and  forced  meaning  upon  them, 
which  has  been  ikewn  cannot  be  the  nie;ining,  in  the 
foregoing  explanation. 

Thus  this  text  is  wholly  perverted  to  fupport  and 
eftablifh  a  doctrine  which  has  a  moft  pernicious  and 
deflrucfivc  tendency,  is  contra;ry  to  the  whole  tenor  of 
icripture,  and  direcHy  contrary  to  this  very  text,  taken 
together,  and  rightly  und-epilood  ;  which,  it  is  thought, 
clearly  appears  from  the  foregoing  explanation.  This  is 
a  moil  dangerous  and  dcif ruclive  perverfion  of  fcrip- 
ture ;  for  ev^ery  one  who  believes  in  his  heart  he  is  lb 
fufficient  to  work  out  his  own  falvation,  and  to  diflin- 
guifh  himfelf  from  thofe  who  neglect  to  do  this,  with- 
out any  diftinguifbing  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
\\orking  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do,  and  thinks  he 
is  thus  by  his  own  felf-fufficiency  actually  working  out 
his  own  falvation,  is  deceiving  himfelf,  and  trufting  in 
man,  and  making  flefh  his  arm  ;  he  is  therefore  accurfed, 
and  will  fmk  into  deftruclion.  How  lamentable  that 
fuch  doctrine  fiiould  be  advocated  by  any,  yea,  by  fa 
many !  How  unhappy  that  fuch  multitudes  fliould, 
through  the  miOral  blindnefs,  felfifhnefs  and  pride  of 
their  hearts,  be  led  aftray  by  thefe  faife  teachers  1  Sure- 
ly the  blind  are  leading  the  blind,  and  they  will  both 
fall  into  the  ditch  of  endlefs  deftruclion  ! 

There  have  been  thofe  who  have  underftood  thefe 
words  as  a  direction  to  unrenewed  fmners  to  begin  and 

work 


Serm.  XIT.  of  the  subject..  £03 

work  out  their  own  falvation,  enforced  with  a  ftrong 
encouragement,  if  not  a  promife,  that  if  they  thus  fet 
out  in  carneftj  and  do  wh^Lt  is  called  their  part^  God  will 
give  them  all  needed  afllftance  to  go  on  fo  as  to  obtain 
ililvation,  or  do  his  pari.  This  they  underiland  by  his 
working  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do.  Thuii,  ac- 
cording to  them,  God  waits  to  have  them  ^tt  out  and 
begin  to  will  and  to  do ;  and  then  he  fets  in  to  affifc 
ihcm  to  go  on.  It  is  fufficient  to  Ihew  every  confiderate 
perfon,  furely,  that  to  put  fuch  a  meaning  on  thefe 
words,  is  wholly  to  pervert  them,  only  to  mention  it. 
The  words  are  fpoken  to  Chriftians,  in  whom  God  had 
already  began  a  good  work,  by  working  in  them  to  will 
and  to  do,  and  who  had  made  great  progrefs  in  the 
Chriflian  life.  And  what  he  teaches  them  is  their  own 
infufficiency  to  will  and  to  do,  and  that  they  did  not 
begin  in  this  work  till  God  firft  wrought  in  them  both 
to  will  and  to  do  ;  nor  go  one  ftep  without  his  effica- 
cious agency  on  their  hearts  ;  and  therefore  they  ought 
to  maintain  a  humbUng  i^wio.  of  this  on  their  minds, 
and  put  their  whole  truft  in  God,  who  only  can  work 
in  them  to  will  and  to  do  that  by  which  they  muft  work 
out  their  own  falvation.  To  apply  thefe  words  to  fin- 
ners,  to  encourage  them  to  a  proud  conceit  of  their  own 
moral  ftrength  and  •  fufficiency,  and  to  truft  in  them- 
felves  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  is  as  direct  and 
grofs  a  perverfion  of  them  as  can  well  be  imagined. 

There  are  others,  who,  though  they  have  rightly  con- 
fidered  the  exhortation  in  the  text  to  be  addrefled  to 
Chriftians,  yet  have  miftaken  the  proper  meaning  and 
force  of  the  exhortation,  of  fear  and  trembling,  and  of 
the  reafon  given  by  which  the  exhortation  is  urged  ; 
and  therefore  have  overlooked  the  true  fenfe  of  the 
text,  and  really  perverted  it.  Without  attending  to 
the  true,  or  any  precife  and  determinate  meaning  to 
fear  and  trem/oling,  they  confider  the  exhortation  to 
Chriftians  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  as  direding 
f  hem  to  do  what  they  call  their  part,  which  they  are  to 
perform,  without  taking  any  notice  of  the  manner  \\\ 

which 


204  AN    IMPROVEMENT  Serm.    Xll. 

•which  they  are  exhorted  to  do  it ;  and  confequently 
reprefent  God's  working  in  them  to  will  and  to  do, 
rather  as  the  confequence  of  their  working,  in  which  he 
will  affift  them  in  their  endeavours  to  work  out  their 
own  falvation  :  fo  that  the  meaning  of  thefe  words,  ac- 
cording to  them,  is  this  :  Work  out  your  own  falva- 
tion, do  your  part,  for  then  and  on  this  condition  God 
will  do  his  part^  and  work  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do. 

He  who  has  attended  to  and  underftood  the  explana- 
tion of  thefe  words  which  has  been  attempted  in  the 
preceding  diicourfes,  and  approves  of  it,  mull:  be  fenli- 
ble  that  the  above  reprefentation  of  the  meaning  of  the 
text  wholly  overlooks  the  true  deiign  and  force  of  it, 
and  is  a  total  perverfion  of  it,  and  may  juftly  be  faid  to 
*'  darken  counfel  by  words  without  knowledge." 

On  the  whole,  it  appears  that  they  who  attend  only 
to  the  firft  part  of  the  paffage  which  has  been  explained, 
as  exhorting  men  to  work  out  their  own  falvation, 
without  bringing  into  view  the  following  words,  not 
attending  to  the  words /f^r  and  tremhl'mg^  as  expreffing 
the  manner  in  which  this  work  is  to  be  done,  or  giving 
a  wrong  fenfe  to  them,  have  not  given  the  true  import 
and  force  of  the  exhortation,  and  have  not  improved  it 
to  promote  the  purpofe  defigned  by  it ;  and  many  have 
in  this  way  perverted  it  to  eftablifli  delufion  and  falfe- 
hood.  And,  that  they  alfo  who  have  attended  to  the 
laft  words,  "  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to 
will  and  to  do,"  without  attending  to  their  connection 
with  the  foregoing  exhortation,  and  the  true  meaning 
of  fear  and  trembling,  and  the  force  of  the  reafon  and 
argument  from  thence,  expreiied  in  the  particle  For, 
have,  at  beft,  not  given  the  true  and  important  mean- 
ing of  the  whole  paflage  ;  and  have  overlooked  the  de- 
sign and  force  of  it,  and  the  moft  interefting  and  prac- 
tical truths  contained  in  it ;  if  they  have  not  improved 
it  to  promote  error  and  delufion. 

In  ihort,  this  text  cannot  be  underftood,  unlefs  it  be 
confidered  in  the  conne<5lion  of  each  part  of  it,  and  in 
the  true  meaning  of  every  expreflion  and  word  con- 
tained 


Serm.,  XIL  of  the  subject.  205 

tained  in  it.  But  when  this  is  done  with  proper  care 
and  judgment,  it  will  be  found  to  be  clear,  ealy,  con- 
fident, and  harmonious,  and  to  exhibit  true  religion, 
both  in  theory  and  practice,  and  the  real  character  of  a 
Chriftian,  as  diftinguiflied  from  all  counterfeits. 

In  this  view,  the  preceding  particular  explanation 
has  been  attempted,  and  is  to  be  yet  farther  improved. 

II.  From  this  paii'age  of  fcripture,  as  it  has  been  ex- 
plained, feveral  doctrines  are  exprefled  or  implied,  and 
the  objeftions  which  have  been  made  to  them  appear  to 
be  wholly  without  foundation,  and  very  unreafonable. 
Some  of  thefe  will  be  particularly  mentioned  and  con- 
lidered. 

1.  As  God  is  here  faid  to  produce  every  good  voli- 
tion and  excrcife  in  the  Chriltian  by  which  he  works 
out  his  own  falvation,  it  has  been  objefted,  that  accord- 
ing to  this  the  work  is  all  done  by  God,  and  not  by  the 
Chriftian,  which  renders  the  text,  taken  together,  whol- 
ly inconfiftent  and  abfurd  :  as  if  it  were  faid,  "  Work 
out  your  own  falvation ;  but  at  the  fame  time  re- 
member that  you  can  do  nothing,  and  really  have  no- 
thing to  do  ;  for  it  is  God  who  muft  do  all,  by  pro* 
ducins:  the  will  and  the  deed  i  '* 

The  mere  mentioning  of  this  objection  is  fufficient  to 
expofe  the  unreafonablenefs  and  abfurdity  of  it.  If 
God  works  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  then  they  both 
will  and  do ;  and  this  is  as  much  their  own  vail  and 
deed,  as  much  their  own  exertion  and  Vv-ork,  as  it  could 
be,  were  there  no  previous  exertion  of  God,  as  neceffa- 
ry  in  order  to  their  thus  willing  and  doing.  Chriftians 
do  nothing  in  working  out  their  own  falvation  till  they 
begin  to  will  and  ad  ;  and  when  they  do  this,  it  is  as 
much  their  own  ad  and  deed,  as  in  the  nature  of  things 
any  thing  that  is  v/illed  and  done  can  be,  whatever 
God  may  do  in  working  in  them  thus  to  will  and  to 
do.  The  latter  is  the  work  of  God,  and  not  theirs,  the 
former  is  as  much  their  own  exertion  and  work,  as  if 
God  did  nothing  in  them,  and  is  entirely  diftinct  from 
what  God  does.     Their  own  exertions,  their  willing 

and 


ICS  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.    XII. 

and  doing,  in  working  out  their  own  falvation,  are  as 
Tieceffary  as  if  they  were  independent  on  God,  and  he 
did  not  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do :  and  there- 
fore this  is  no  reafon  why  they  fliouid  not  will  and 
work,  but  fit  IHU  and  do  nothing  ;  but  is  a  good  reafon 
why  they  fhould  work,  and  do  what  they  do  with  fear 
and  trembling,  not  trufting  in  themfelves,  but  in  God 
alone,  to  enable  them  to  go  through  and  perfed  this 
work. 

2.  This  doctrine  of  abfolute  dependence  on  God  for 
f^very  volition  and  exertion  in  working  out  our  own 
falvation,  which  is  implied  and  afferted  in  the  explana- 
tion which  has  been  given  of  this  text,  has  been  repre- 
fented  and  objecled  to  as  a  very  difcouraging  doctrine, 
tending  to  lead  perfons  to  fit  ftill,  and  not  attempt  to 
do  any  thing  towards  their  falvation. 

It  is  granted  that  the  view  of  the  text  which  has 
been  given  does  tend  to  difcourage  perfons  from  at- 
tempting to  work  out  their  own  falvation  in  their  oivn 
ilrength  and  fufliciency,  independent  of  God,  and  his 
effeftual  operation  on  their  hearts  to  will  and  to  do  % 
and  will  effedually  do  it,  where  it  has  its  proper  influ- 
ence on  the  hearts  of  men.  But  this  affords  no  real 
ground  of  objedion  to  the  dodrine,  but  is  rather  in  fa- 
vour of  it.  It  is  neceflary  that  men  fhould  be  dif- 
couraged  from  working  out  their  falvation  in  this 
way,  and  relinquifh  it,  in  order  to  their  being  faved  ; 
and  the  fooner  and  more  thoroughly  they  are  difcourag-i 
£d,  the  better.  Such  difcouragement  is  indeed  given 
in  the  text,  and  in  a  vaft  number  of  other  pailages  in 
the  Bible,  being  rightly  underftood ;  for  men  are  every 
where  in  fcripture  reprefented  as  wholly  dependent  on 
God  for  the  effectual  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
order  to  do  that  which  is  neceflary  to  be  done  by  them 
for  their  falvation. 

But  to  him  who  feels  his  own  moral  depravity  and 
utter  infufficiency  to  will  and  do  any  thing  by  which 
he  may  be  faved,  without  the  powerful  operations  of 
God  to  work  in  him  to  will  to  do  it,  this  doctrine  wil} 

open 


SeRM.    Xir.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  lo/ 

open  the  only  ground  of  hope  and  encouragement  to 
do  or  attempt  to  do  any  thing.  If  a  child  or  any  per- 
Ibn  were  called  to  do  fome  great  thing,  to  which  her 
knew  he  was  wholly  unequal,  being  utterly  infufficient 
to  fuch  a  work  of  himfelf,  he  would  not  have  any  cou- 
rage to  attempt  it,  until  he  knew  that  one  Hood  by  him 
who  was  able  and  promifed  to  give  him  all  neceffary  af- 
fiftance,  if  he  would  rely  wholly  on  him  for  it  j  but  this 
would  give  him  fufficient  encouragement  to  engage  in 
the  work  with  hope  of  fuccefs  ;  and  would  be  the  only 
ground  of  encouragement  and  hope. 

Jefus  Chrift  faid  to  his  difciples, "  Without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing."  Surely  he  did  not  fay  this  to  difcourager 
them,  and  lead  them  to  lit  ftill  and  do  nothing ;  but  to 
encourage  them  to  truft  in  him,  and  to  engage  in  the 
work  alligned  to  them  with  alacrity,  courage  and  hope. 
The  apoftle  Paul  knew  that  he  vv^as  v/hat  he  was  by  tlie 
grace  of  God,  working  mightily  and  effectually  in  him 
both  to  will  and  to  do  ;  that  he  had  no  fufEciency  of 
himfelf  for  any  good  thing,  but  that  all  his  fufticiency 
was  of  God ;  that  without  the  powerful  alTiftance  of 
Chrift  he  could  do  nothing.  Did  this  difcourage  him, 
from  attempting  to  do  any  thing  ?  No ;  direftly  the 
contrary :  from  this  he  took  his  fole  encouragement, 
and  was  animated  to  purfue  his  work  with  activity  and 
diligence,  and  laboured  more  than  all  the  other  apoftles, 
knowino:  that  throug-h  Chrift  who  ftren2;thened  him  he 
cduld  do  all  things. 

Thus  it  appears  not  only  that  the  objeftion  under  con- 
lideration  is  altogether  without  any  ground  or  reafon, 
but  that  it  is  made  againft  a  pailage  of  fcripture  which, 
according  to  the  explanation  which  has  been  given,  af- 
fords the  only  ground  of  hope  to  ftnners,  and  gives  fuffi- 
cient and  the  only  encouragement  to  work  out  our  ovv^n 
falvation  with  fear  and  trembling  j  and  which  does  con- 
tain a  complete  anfwcr  to  the  objection,  and  that  it  is  as 
direcl,  great  and  mifchievous  a  perverfion  and  abufe  of 
the  text,  as  can  be  imagined.  Let  it  therefore  be  reje6t- 
cd  by  all  with  abhorrence,  and  fUenced  forever. 

3.  The 


^tdS  an  improvement  S^rm.  Xll7 

3.  The  objection  which  has  been  made,  that  this  doc- 
trine of  man's  dependence  on  the  powerful  operation  of 
God  for  every  virtuous  and  holy  acl  of  v/ili,  fo  that  it  is 
really  produced  by  him,  and  could  not  exift  did  not  God 
work  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do,  is  inconiiftent  with 
human  liberty,  and  makes  man  a  mere  machine,  who  is 
acted  upon  in  ail  he  wills  and  does,  is  really  anfwered 
and  refuted  in  the  words  themfelves,  as  they  have  been 
explained. 

Human  liberty  confifts  in  willing  and  doing,  or  in  act- 
ing voluntarily.  To  ad:  freely,  and  to  aft  voluntarily, 
are  fynonimous  terms,  meaning  the  fame  thing  ;  and  it 
is  impofllble  to  exercife  or  conceive  of  any  other  real 
liberty  than  this.  All  the  liberty  of  any  moral  agent 
confifts  in  acting  voluntarily.  There  is  no  other  liberty 
in  nature  poiiible.  Therefore  liberty  does  not  confift  in 
any  thing  v/hich  takes  place  before  the  actual  exertion 
of  willing  ;  man  does  riot,  he  cannot,  exercife  freedom 
antecedent  to  his  acting  voluntarily,  or  when  he  ceafes 
to  will  and  to  do.  Therefore,  when  God  worketh  in 
men  to  will  and  do  what  otlierwife  they  would  not  will 
and  do,  their  liberty  is  fo  far  from  being  obftructed  by 
this,  that  it  is  promoted,  and  the  confequence  is,  their 
aftually  willing  and  doing,  and  confequently  exerciiing 
all  the  liberty  of  which  any  creature  is  or  can  be  made 
capable.  How  groundlefs  and  unreafonable  then  is  this 
objection  !  It  amounts  to  this,  that  man  cannot  be  free 
in  that  which  is  the  only  exercife  of  liberty,  becaufe  he 
never  would  have  afted  thus  freely  in  that  inftance,  did 
not  God  by  working  in  him  induce  him  to  exercife  all 
the  freedom  of  which  he  is  capable  in  aftually  willing 
and  doing. 

It  is  evident  tliat.many  puzzle  and  bewilder  themfelves 
about  human  liberty,  and  think  many  fafts  and  doftrines 
contained  in  the  Bible  to  be  inconfiftent  with  liberty  j 
or  at  lealt  confefs  themfelves  unable  to  conceive  how 
they  can  be  conhftent  with  it,  becaufe  they  have  never 
attended  fo  much  to  the  nature  of  human  liberty  as  to 
be  able  to  determine  precifely  in  what  it  does  confiit,  and 

imagine 


Serm.    XII.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  209 

imagine  it  confifts  in  fomething,  of  which  they  have  no 
clear  and  conliftent  idea,  and  which  is  really  impoilible, 
and  never  did  or  can  ekift.  If  they  would  carefully  con- 
fult  their  own  feelings  to  find  what  that  is  which  they 
feel  and  exercife  when  they  confider  themfelves  perfectly 
free  in  what  they  do,  they  would  find  that  when  they 
afted  voluntarily  or  of  choice,  and  did  as  they  pleafed, 
they  ad:ed  freely,  and  poffelTed  all  the  freedom  they  could 
defire,  or  have  any  confident  conception  of  ;  therefore, 
that  though  God  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  or 
whatever  were  the  previous  caufe  of  their  willing  and 
ading  as  they  did,  yet  they  were  perfectly  free  in  their 
choice  and  condud  ;  and  that  it  was  as  much  their  own 
will  and  choice,  as  it  could  be  on  any  fuppofition  what- 
ever, and  they  themfelves  wholly  accountable  for  what 
they  will  and  do. 

This  paffage  therefore  is  fo  far  from  being  inconfiftent 
with  human  liberty,  that  it  fuppofes  and  alferts  that  per- 
fons  have  and  exercife  all  the  liberty  in  the  practice  of 
morality  and  religion  of  which  man  is  capable,  and  carries 
in  the  face  of  it  a  complete  confutation  of  the  objedloii 
under  confideration.  And  let  no  one  imagine  he  has 
not  all  the  freedom  that  is  defirable,  or  that,  in  the  na- 
ture of  things,  can  be  poflefTed  and  exercifed,  while  he 
feels  and  knows  that  he  acts  voluntarily,  or  does  as  he 
pleafes.  And  if  he  does  both  will  and  do  that  which  is 
really  working  out  his  own  falvation,  let  him  afcribe  it 
wholly  to  the  fovereign  mercy  of  God,  who  worketh  in 
him  thus  to  will  and  do,  of  his  good  pleafure. 


pennon  xiil 


Phil.  ii.  12,  13.  Work  out  your  own  fahation  ivith  fear 
and  trembling  :  for  it  is  God  who  workcth  in  you,  both  t» 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleafure, 

HAVING  Gonfidered  three  objections  to  the  text,  as 
it  has  been  explained,  in  the  preceding  difcourfe, 
it  is  propofed  in  this  to  anfwer  feveral  more. 

4.  It  is  objected,  that  if  men  are  not  and  cannot  be 
\villing  to  work  out  their  own  lalvation,  unlefs  God  firft 
work  in  them  to  will  and  do,  then  they  cannot  be 
blameable  for  not  willing  and  doing. 
^-  To  this  objection  there  is  a  full  folutlon  and  anfwer 
in  the  words  to  which  it  is  made.  If  none  do  any- 
thing towards  working  out  their  own  falvation,  till 
God  worketh  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  this  fuppofes 
that  previous  to  this  they  are  unwilling  ;  and  that  this 
tinwillingnefs,  or  oppofition  of  will  to  this  w^ork,  is  the 
only  difiiculty  in  the  way  of  their  willing  and  doing 
that  by  which  they  would  be  faved ;  and  were  it  not 
tor  this  oppofition  of  heart  or  will  to  do  that  by  which 
they  would  be  faved,  there  would  be  no  need  that  God 
fliould  thus  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  which 
otherwife  they  voluntarily  refufe  to  do.  It  is  there- 
tore  fuppofed  that  they  a<fb  freely  in  willing  and  doing 
that  which  is  contrary  to  working  out  their  falvation, 
and  confequently  that  they  are  wholly  blameable  for 
voluntarily  oppofmg  that  by  which  they  might  be  fav- 
ed, if  they  were  willing  to  comply  with  it.  For  we 
have  no  other  idea  of  blame  or  crime,  but  that  which 
confifts  in  willing  and  doing  that  which  is  contrary  to 
reafon  and  truth,  and  the  command  of  God,  when  no- 
thing is  in  the  way  of  willing  and  doing  that  which  is 
right  and  wife,  but  their  unwillingnefs  or  oppofition  of 
heart  or  will  to  that  which  is  required.  And  the  great- 
er 


SfRM.    XIII.  AN    IMPROVEMEKT.  21 X 

er  the  degree  of  oppofition  of  will  there  is  to  that  which 
is  right  and  good,  and  the  (Ironger  the  propenfuy  and 
inclination  is  to  the  contrary,  the  more  blameable  and 
guilty  fuch  perfons  appear  to  be  to  all  who  exercife 
reafon  or  common  fenfe.  And  the  more  fixed  in  the 
ftrong  and  conilant  oppofition  of  their  hearts  they  arc 
to  that  which  is  wife  and  good,  and  propenfity  to  do 
evil,  fo  that  they  arc  perfectly  deaf  to  all  warnings  and 
counfels  and  motives  which  can  be  fet  before  them  to 
choofe  and  do  that  which  is  right,  and  would  make 
them  happy,  and  they  cannot  be  reclaimed  by  any 
means  whatfoevcr  that  can  be  ufed  with  them  ;  the 
more  odious  and  blameworthy  they  are,  according  to 
the  feelings,  judgment  and  confent  of  aU.. 

If  a  child  be  difobedient  to  his  parents,  and  wholly 
refufes  to  pay  any  refpecl  to  them  and  regard  their 
di(5tates,  the  more  obftinate  he  api>ears  to  be,  and  fixed 
in  his  rebellion,  under  all  pofllble  means  ufcd  with  him 
to  reclaim  him,  this  is  fo  far  from  being  any  excufe,  or 
extenuation  of  his  blame  or  guilt,  that,  it  is  coniidered 
by  all,  unlefs  it  be  thofe  who  are  joined  with  him  in  the 
fame  difobedience,  as  an  aggravation  of  his  guilt. 
"Who  ever  thought  of  excufmga  murderer  or-thief,  and 
could  think  him  blamelefs  or  the  lefs  guilty,  becaufe 
he  had  long  perfifted  in  his  evil  practices,  and  could  not 
be  reclaimed  by  all  the  perfuafions,  threats  and  fevere 
corrections  which  could  be  admin iftercd  or  devifed  ? 
Can  any  one  avoid  thinking  him  the  worfe,  and 
more  odious  and  blameable,  the  more  his  inclination  to 
murder  or  fteal  is  proved  to  be  fixed  and  incurable  ? 
It  is  poflible  the  perfon  himfelf  might  plead  this  as  an 
excufe  ;  and  his  companions  in  the  fame  wickednefs 
might  join  with  him  in  exculpating  him  and  them- 
felves,  becaufe  they  had  fuch  a  ftrong  inclination  to  per- 
fift  in  their  practices,  and  were  fo  utterly  averfe  from  a 
reformation,  and  fo  far  from  having  the  leaft  difpofition 
to  any  thing  of  the  kind^  that  they  could  not  be  wil- 
ling to  hearken  to  advice,  and  reform.  But  all  who  are 
not  murderers    nor   thieves   would  confider   their  at-- 

tempting 


213  AK    IMPROVEMENT  SbRM.XIII. 

tempting  to  make  fuch  an  excufe  as  an  aggravation  of 
their  crimes,  and  an  increafe  of  their  blameworthinefs. 

This  is  applicable  to  the  cafe  before  us,  and  may  ferve 
to  illullrate  it.  Mankind  are  all  rebels  againft  God,  and 
are  funk  into  total  moral  depravity,  in  which  they 
have  a  ftrong,  fixed  and  incurable  propenfity  to  re- 
bellion, and  a  proportionable  averiion  from  God  and 
holinefs,  and  ivill  not  come  to  Chrift  that  they  might  be 
faved.  This  depravity  and  obftinacy  is  incurable^  that 
is,  by  any  thing  in  themfelves  ;  for  their  whole  inclina- 
tion, and  all  their  exertions,  are  an  oppolition  to  turn- 
ing to  God,  or  a  willingnefs  to  embrace  the  gofpel ;  it 
IS  incurable  by  any  means  that  can  be  ufed  with  them, 
or  by  any  thing  that  can  be  done  for  them  by  any 
creature.  The  removal  of  this  rebellious  difpofition  is 
infinitely  out  of  the  reach  of  the  power -of  men  or  an- 
gels. He  only  can  do  it  who  created  all  things,  and  is 
able  to  take  av/ay  the  hard,  obftinate  heart,  and  give  an 
obedient  one,  and  Vv^ork  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  that 
to  v/hich  they  are  naturally  totally  averfe.  Nothing  is 
or  can  be  in  the  way  to  prevent  any  perfons  being  wil- 
ling to  embrace  the  gofpel,  but  a  contrary  will  and 
choice,  and  averfion  of  heart  from  Jefus  Chrift  and  the 
gofpel.  And  if  this  be  not  in  the  nature  of  it  criminal, 
and  blameablc  in  every  degree  of  it,  then  there  can  be 
no  fuch  thing  as  blame  or  crim.e  in  nature.  And  if  the 
ilrong  degree  of  oppofition  to  that  which  is  right  and 
wife,  and  inclination  to  the  contrary  fo  as  to  render  it 
incurable,  in  the  fenfe  explained,  does  render  the  perfon 
innocent ;  then  every  the  leafi:  degree  of  fuch  inclination 
is  not  criminal,  fo  there  can  be  no  fuch  thing  as  fin  ; 
unlefs  men  can  fin  without  any  inclination  to  fin,  and 
iTiay  incur  blame  when  they  exerciie  no  choice. 

AH  this  is  fuppofed  and  really  aflerted  in  our  text  : 
That  mankind  are  wholly  and  obftinately  oppofed  in 
their  will  and  affections  to  that  which  is  right  and  wife, 
and  neceifary  to  be  chofen,  in  prder  to  their  falvation  ; 
that  this  is  the  only  and  all  the  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
their  fidvation,  and  is  the  only  thing  which  renders  it 

necefx'ary 


S;iRM.    XIII.  OF   THE    SUBJECT*  21 3 

neceliary  that  God  fliould  powerfully  work  in  them  to 
make  them  willing  to  embrace  the  way  of  falviiiion. 
The  objeclion  is  therefore  contrary  to  the  paftage  ob- 
jected to,  which  wlien  confidered  contains  a  full  anfvver 
to  it,  and  the  objeclion  appears  not  to  have  the  lead 
foundation,  if  all  blame  confifts  wholly  in  having  no  in- 
clination to  that  which  is  right  and  wife,  and  in  an  in- 
clination and  choice  which  is  diredly  contrary  :  and  no- 
thing can  be  biameablc  but  this :  and  the  llronger  this 
inclination  is,  and  the  more  there  is  01  it,  the  more  and 
greater  is  the  guilt ;  which  no  man  can  deny  without 
contradicting  the  plaineft  dictates  of  rcaion  and  common 
icnie. 

When  it  is  faid  in  the  objection,  that  if  men  cannot 
embrace  the  gofpel  unlefs  God  work  in  them  to  will  and 
do  it,  this  muft  render  them  blamelefs,  if  by  this  any 
difficulty  is  defigned  to  be  expreiled  which  does  not 
wholly  conlift  in  their  unwillingnefs  to  this,  and  is  not 
the  fame  with  their  will  not,  it  is  not  true  that  they 
cannot ;  for,  as  has  been  obferved,  there  can  be  no  other 
bar  in  the  way  of  their  embracing  the  gofpel,  but  a  fix- 
ed oppofition  of  will  to  it ;  and  this  is  fuppofed  and 
even  afl'erted  in  the  text,  as  nothing  elfe  or  more  is  ne- 
ceffary  to  work  out  their  falvation  but  a  will  to  do  it. 
And  when  it  is  faid  they  cannot  hz  willing,  the  mean- 
ing is,  that  they  are  wholly  deftitute  of  the  leail  incli- 
nation or  real  deiire  to  comply,  and  have  fuch  a  ftrong, 
fixed  oppofition  of  will  to  it,  that  they  cannot  be  willing 
to  embrace  the  gofpel,  fuch  oppofition  of  will  being  en- 
tirely inconiiftent  with  it,  fo  long  as  it  continues  ;  and 
they  being  without  the  Isail  inclination  or  defire  to  re- 
move this  oppofition,  but  acquiefce  in  it  with  all  their 
hearts,  it  cannot  be  removed  by  any  thing  Ihort  of  the 
power  of  God  working  in  them  to  will  and  to  do.  But 
if  this  be  all  that  the  objector  means  by  his  cannot^  this 
is  fo  far  from  being  any  fxcufe  for  not  being  willing  to 
embrace  the  gofpel,  that  it  is  the  very  thing  in  which  all 
blame  conlifts ;  and  the  inore  there  is  of  this  luill  not^ 
and  the  llronger  the  incluiation  is  to  oppofe  and  reje<5l  the 

gofpel. 


214  AN    IMPROVZMKNT  SeRM.    XIIL 

gofpel,  the  greater  is  the  guilt  and  blame  worth  in  efs,  as 
has  been  before  obferved,  and  cannot  be  denied  by  any 
who  will  allow  that  there  is  any  fuch  thing  as  guilt  and 
blame  in  nature.  In  this  lenfe  the  words  of  Chrift  are 
to  be  underflood,  when  he  fays,  "  No  man  can  con>e 
to  me,  except  the  Father  who  hath  fent  me  draw  him  :'* 
\yoh)iv\.  44.]  The  Saviour  of  the  world  does  not  fay 
this  to  excufe  men  as  blamelefs  in  not  coming  to  him, 
but  rather  to  exprefs  their  total  depravity  and  the  great- 
nefs  of  their  guilt,  afferting  that  there  is  fuch  oppolition 
of  the  will  or  heart  of  all  men  naturally  to  him,  that  they 
are  difpofed  to  reject  the  gofpel,  and,  while  this  is  the 
cafe,  no  man  can  with  fuch  an  heart  come  to  Chrift,  as 
this  implies  a  contradiction.  And  this  depravity  and 
oppofition  of  heart  is  fo  great  and  fixed,  that  no  man 
-will  come  to  him,  unlefs  it  be  removed  by  the  power  of 
God  workinir  in  him  to  will  and  do  that   which    he 

O 

v/ould  otherwife  continue  utterly  to  refufe.  That  thef^ 
words  are  thus  to  be  underftood  is  certain  from  what 
Chrift  faith  elfewhere  on  this  fubject.  He  faid  to  the 
Jews,  "  Te  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life.  How  can  ye  believe,  who  receive  honour  one  of 
another,  and  feek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God 
only  ?'*  In  which  words  he  afferts,  that  the  only  thing 
jn  the  way  of  their  coming  to  him  was,  that  it  was  con- 
trary to  their  inclination  or  will ;  and  that  their  inabih- 
,ty  to  believe  on  him,  which  is  the  fame  with  coming  ta 
him,  or  the  only  reafon  why  they  could  7iot  believe,  was 
nothing  but  an  oppofite  inclination  to  defire  and  feek 
that  which  was  contrary  to  believing  on  him  and  com- 
ing to  him.  We  are  certain  that  Jefus  Chrift  did  confi- 
der  this  inability  to  come  to  him,  though  fo  fixed  and 
great  that  it  could  not  be  removed  by  any  power  fliort  of 
that  Divine  Energy  which  can  give  a  new  heart,  as  any 
excufe  for  not  coming  to  him  ;  for  he  afferts  their  not 
believing  on  him  and  refufmg  to  come  to  him  to  be  the 
greateft  crime,  for  which  they  nught  juftly  be  condemn- 
ed to  perifh  forever.  Hear  his  words.  "  He  that  he- 
Ikvctb  not,  is  condemned  already,  bccaufe  he  hath  not  be- 
'  .  lieved 


Serm.  XIIJ.  ©f  the  subject.  215 

lleved  on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  Goci. 
And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  Ught  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darknefs  rather  than  light, 
becaufc  their  deeds  were  evil.  And  when  he  (the  Spi- 
rit) is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  lin,  hecaufi 
they  believe  not  on  nie.^* 

if  they  who  make  the  obje£lion  under  confideration 
would  attend  to  all  this,  and  conllder  it  well,  they  would 
know  that  they  were  as  really  objeding  againft  Jefus 
Chrift  himfelf,  as  againft  our  text,  as  it  has  been  explain- 
ed ;  for  he  faith  the  fame  things  in  the  words  which 
have  been  cited.  And  they  would  at  the  fame  time  be 
convinced  that  the  objedlion  is  contrary  to  all  reafon 
and  the  common  fenfe  of  mankind,  and  implies  the 
greateft  abfurdity,  and  contradidion  to  all  moral 
truth. 

Many  bewilder  themfelves,  and  put  a  ftumbiing  block 
before  their  faces,  and  make  great  and  hurtful  miftakes, 
by  uling  the  words  cannot  and  inability  in  a  fenfe  which 
is  inconfiftent  with  blame,  and  wholly  excufes  for  not 
doing  what  a  perfon  cannot  do.  That  which  a  perfon 
cannot  do,  though  eVer  fo  much  inclined  to  do  it,  and 
however  willing  he  is  to  do  it,  were  it  in  his  power,  he 
cannot  be  blamed  for  not  doing.  And  this  is  the 
fenfe  in  which  mankind  commonly  ufe  the  words  can- 
not and  inability.  But  when  thefe  words  are  ufed  in  a 
moral  fenfe,  fo  as  to  imply  no  difficulty  in  complying 
with  what  is  required,  but  want  of  an  inclination  and 
dcfire  to  do  it,  or  an  adlual  oppolition  of  will  to  it^ 
which  is  quite  a  different  and  oppofite  fenfe  from  the 
other ;  fuch  a  want  of  ability  or  power  to  comply  with 
that  which  is  reafonable  and  right,  does  not  excufe  a  re- 
fufal  to  comply,  but  neceflarily  implies  blame,  and  the 
perfon  is  criminal  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  his  in- 
ability to  comply,  or  the  ftrength  and  fixednefs  of  the 
oppolition  of  his  heart  to  that  which  is  required,  in 
which  all  the  difficulty  of  this  compliance  confifts. 

This  may  be  illuftrated  by  the  following  inftaace  :  A 
poor  man,  a  real  objed  of  charity,  fuffering  for  want  of 

the 


2l6  A-N    iMPROVEMEf^r  '  SlLRM.    XIIT. 

the  neceinincs  of  life,  who  muft  periili  foon  if  he  had 
not  fpcedy  relief,  begged  the  compaiTion  and  help  of  two 
-neighbours  who  then  were  together.  One  of  them  was 
a  kind,  benevolent  man,  and  felt  for  the  fulTerer,  and 
ardently  wifhed  it  were  in  his  power  to  relieve  him  ; 
but  he  was  poor  himfelf,  and  had  nothing  to  give  to  his 
oiftreffed  brother.  The  other  was  rich,  and  able  im- 
mediately to  help  the  fufrering,  pcrilhing  man,  if  he 
had  been  wdiling  to  do  it ;  but  he  was  a  ftranger  to  be- 
nevolence, and  had  the  greateft  avcrfion  from  giving  or 
doing  any  thing  for  the  relief  of  any  of  liis  fellow-men, 
and  never  had  felt  the  leall  compaflion  to  the  diftreffed, 
or  given  fo  much  as  a  penny  for  the  relief  of  any, 
though  he  had  many  opportunities  to  do  it,  and  not  a 
few  had  periilied  by  his  refufing  to  afford  them  any 
help.  He  therefore  in  this  inftance  hardened  his  heart, 
and  felt  not  the  leaii  compaflion  for  the  perifhing  man, 
and  refufed  to  fave  this  beggar  from  death,  which  was 
in  his  power,  had  he  been  willing  to  give  him  what  he 
could  eafiiy  fpare. 

Who  can  avoid  pronouncing  the  former  blamelef:,, 
or  confidering  the  latter  as  very  criminal  and  blame- 
worthy ?  And  the  farther  he  was  from  any  inclination . 
to  help  the  diftreffed,  and  the  more  fixed  and  obflinate- 
ly  fet  he  was  againft  giving  any  thing  to  the  poor,  the 
more  vile  and  criminal  he  muft  appear  to  all.  The  lat- 
ter cannot  be  liberal,  and  delight  in  diftributing  what  he 
pofTeffes,  until  he  has  a  new  heart,  and  is  pofleiTed  with 
2.  difpofition  directly  contrary  to  that  v/hich  now  govcrris 
him  in  all  his  thoughts  and  defires.  And  his  heart  is 
w'hblly  and  with  all  its  ftrength  oppofed  to  a  benevolent, 
generous  heart,  and  therefore  he  cannot  have  the  leafL 
inclination  and  defire  to  have  fuch  a  heart,  but  is  entirely 
fatisfied  and  pleafed  with  his  prefent  felfiih  difpofition. 
And  if  he  fliould  pretend  to  defire  and  attempt  to  ob- 
tain a  good,  benevolent  heart,  all  his  defires  and  at- 
tempts would  really  be  nothing  but  the  exercife  of  his 
felfifimefs,  and  the  gratification  of  his  evil,  covetous  dif- 
pofition ;    and  therefore  would  be  nothing  but  real  op- 

politioii 


SSR-M.    Xm.  O?    THE    SUBJECT.  2 1 7 

pofition  to  a  good  heart.  So  that  it  may  be  truly  fald 
of  him,  he  is  utterly  unable  to  change  his  own  heart 
from  a  felfifh  to  a  benevolent  one.  Yet  who  can  think 
him  the  lefs  criminal  and  blameable  on  this  account  ? 
Muft  not  all  look  upon  him  as  guilty  and  odious  in 
proportion  to  the  fixed  ftrength  of  his  feliifh,  cruel  dif- 
pofition,  and  his  inability  by  this  to  become  benevolent 
and  kind  ? 

The  difficulty  which  is  in  the  way  of  his  helping  the 
poor  man  may  be  as  great,  and  his  inability  to  do  a 
generous  action  as  real  and  as  much  infurmountable  and 
immoveable  by  him,  for  the  reafon  which  has  been 
mentioned,  as  the  inability  of  the  former  to  relieve  him. 
It  may  be  faid,  agreeable  to  truth,  of  both  of  them,  that 
they  cannot  relieve  the  diftrefi'ed  fufferer.  But  their  in- 
ability is  fo  entirely  different,  and  of  fo  opposite  a  nature 
and  kind, that  the  inability  of  the  former  cxcufes,  and  that 
of  the  latter  is  fo  far  from  excuiing,  that  it  is  the  very 
thing  in  which  his  crime  and  blame  confifts.  And  they 
who  attend  to  all  that  has  been  offered  or  can  be  faid  on 
this  point,  and  yet  will  not  fee  the  difference  and  oppofi- 
tion  between  thefe  two  kinds  of  inability,  but  perfift 
in  afferting  that  there  is  no  difference,  and  that  they 
equally  render  a  man  blamelefs  for  not  doing  what  he 
is  unable  to  do  ;  that  the  inability  of  the  latter  of  tliefe 
two  men  to  relieve  a  diftreffed  perfon  is  as  blamelefs  and 
excufeable,  as  that  of  the  former  ;  are  not  capable  of  be- 
ing reafoned  with  or  of  making  any  proper  ufe  of  com- 
mon fenfe,  which  cannot  be  accounted  for  but  by  fup- 
pofing  tliat  their  inability  to  fee  and  make  this  diilinc- 
tion,  and  reafon  properly  upon  it,  is  not  owing  to  any 
defect  in  their  natural  capacity  and  reafoning  powers, 
but  to  an  inclination  of  heart,  or  propenfity  of 
will,  which  perverts  their  reafon,  and  iliuts  their  eyes 
againft  the  light  of  truth,  fo  that  they  cannot  fee  it,  how- 
ever clearly  it  iliines  ;  which  is  the  criminal  inabihty 
that  has  been  defcribed. 

Every  degree  of  inclination  to  fin  is  oppofition  to  the 

iontrary,  and  is  a  difficulty  in  the  way  gf  a  holy  inclina- 

F  £  pon 


!2r$-  AfT-IMf-ilOVEMENT  S'ERM.    XlltS 

tion  and  choice  ;  and  the  former  necefiarily  weakens 
the  latter  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  it,  fo  that  per- 
fect holinefs  cannot  be  exercifed,  fo  long  as  any  degree 
(^f  the  oppofite  inclination  exifts.  And  the  diiliculty  or 
inability  to  be  pcrfeclly  holy  is  greater  or  lefs  in  propor- 
tion to  the  greater  or  lefs  degree  of  the  oppofite  inclina- 
u6t>  to  fin.  This,  the  apoftte  Paul  fays^,  is  the  cafe  with 
Chrillians  in  this  world  :  "  The  flefh  lufteth  againft  the- 
Spirit^  and  the  Spirit  againft  the  flelli :  and  thefe  are 
contrary  the  one  to  the  other  y  fo  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would;'*  [G^/.  v.  17.]  None  will  fup- 
pofe,  it  is  prefumed,  that  the  Apoftle  faid  this  to  excufc 
Chriftians  for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  or  defigned  to 
reprefent  the  lufting  of  the  flell\,  or  inclination  to  fin,  as 
blamelefs,  by  faying  that  they  could  not  do  the  things  that 
they  would  ;  for  if  the  lulling  of  the  fiefli  be  not  finful 
and  blameable,  then  there  cannot  be  any  fuch  thing  as 
fin  or  blame.  When  the  Apoille  fays,  "  Yd  cannot  do 
the  things  that  ye  would/'  he  does  not  ofl'er  this  as  an 
excufe  for  their  not  doing  them  ;  fince  all  the  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  their  doing  them  was  their  fin  :  it  was 
therefore  a  wholly  blameable,  finful  cannot :  it  was  a  dif- 
ficulty and  inability  to  be  perfectly  holy  which  was  cri- 
minal and  wholly  blameable  in  every  degree  of  it,  and 
that  too  in  proportion  to  the  ftrength  and  degree. 
Chriftians  had  a  degree  of  holinefs  which  was  exercif- 
ed in  oppofing  all  finful  inclination,  and  defiring  to  be 
perfectly  holy.  They  would  be,  they  had  a  defire  to  be, 
ib  holy  as  to  do  all  the  things  which  were  required  of 
them  in  a  perfect  manner  and  degree  j  but  a  contrary 
propenfity  to  fin  fi:ill  worked  in  them,  and  rendered 
them  unable  to  do  what  they  would,  fo  that  in  every 
exertion  they  fell  fhort.  This  therefore  was  a  finful  in- 
ability, a  caiinot  wholly  blameable  ;  for  it  confifi:ed  in 
their  inclination  to  fin. 

The  unregcnerate  finner  is  nothing  but  flelli,  in  thc^ 
Apoftle's  fenfe  of  the  word  here,  and  in  many  other*' 
places,  that  i^,  corrupt  human  nature.  All  his  inclina- 
tions and  dsfu-es  arc  lufi;s  of  the  flefb,  in  which  there  is 

no 


SeRT^I.    Xllt  or  THE    SUBJECT.     \  219 

fio  good  thing."  This  his  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againft 
God,  is  not  fubject  to  th-e  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be.  He  has  no  inclination  or  defire  to  be  holy,  to 
oppoCe  the  carnal  mind,  which  therefore  has  the  whole 
dominion  in  his  heart,  and  reigns  there  without  controul. 
The  difficulty  and  inability  he  is  under  to  will  and  to 
do  that  which  is  good  is  total  and  complete  :  and  as 
the  Chriftian  cannot  do  the  things  that  he  would,  can- 
not be  perfectly  holy,  the  fmner  cannot  have  the  Icaft 
inclination  or  defire  to  be  holy,  or  will  and  do  any 
thing  towards  his  falvation.  And  as  the  partial  inability 
in  the  Chriftian  to  be  perfectly  holy  is  altogether  his  lin,» 
and  confiits  in  it  ;  fo  the  total  inability  to  will  and  to 
do  that  which  is  holy  in  the  finner  is  all  of  it  his  fm, 
and  therefore  confifts  wholly  in  that  which  is  blame- 
worthy. His  inability,  his  cannot,  is  rll  fm  and  nothing 
elfe.  And  to  offer  this  as  an  excufe,  as  rendering  the 
fmner  wholly  blamelefs,  is  fo  unreafonable,  abfurd  and 
perverfe,  that  it  cannot  be  done  by  an  honett,  difcerning 
mind. 

So  much  has  been  faid  in  anfwer  to  this  objection, 
perhaps  too  much,  and  fome  repetitions  have  been 
made,  it  may  be  too  many,  becaufe  it  is  fo  nduch  in  the 
mouths  of  many,  originates  from  delulion,  and  has  a 
moft  pernicious  tendency. 

5.  The  objection  which  is  often  made,  that  it  is  un- 
reafonable to  command  or  exhort  linners  to  do  that 
which  they  have  no  power  to  do,  and  cannot  do  unlefs 
affifted  and  enabled  to  do  it  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  ap- 
pears to  be  groundlefs,  from  our  text  itfelf,  when  right- 
ly underftood  ;  and  is  fully  refuted  in  the  anfwer  to  tho 
laft  objeftion.  When  it  is  well  underftood  what  is 
meant  by  want  of,  power  to  obey  what  is  com- 
manded, and  comply  with  the  exhortation  ;  that  it 
means  nothing  but  M'^ant  of  will,  and  an  oppofite  in- 
clination J  the  objection  vanifhes,  as  nothing  to  the 
purpofe.  It  means  a  want  of  ability  to  obey,  which  is 
itfelf  fin,  and  that  in  which  blameablcnefs  confifts,  and 
tlierefore  cannot  be  an  excufe  for  not  obeying.  There- 
fore, 


tt-2*  Al^   IMPROVEMtKT  SeRM.    XIII. 

fore,  as  this  kind  of  inability  is  only  a  finful  oppofition 
of  heart  to  that  which  is  right  and  duty,  it  does  not  re- 
move or  leffen  the  obligation  to  obedience  and  to  com- 
ply with  duty.  Surely  none  can  think  that  a  perfon 
may  not  with  reafon  and  propriety  be  exhorted  and 
conmnanded  to  do  that  which  is  right  and  his  duty,  and 
for  his  intereft  to  do,  merely  becaufe  he  is  not  willing 
to  do  it.  For  if  fo,  then  no  man  may  be  commanded 
or  exhorted  to  that  which  he  is  not  inclined  or  willing 
to  do ;  which  denies  the  exiftence  of  any  law,  except  it 
be  a  man's  own  inclination  and  will.  If  God  may  not 
command  a  creature  to  do  what  he  is  not  willing  to 
do,  there  is  an  end  to  all  divine  laws,  and  moral  govern- 
ment, and  a  man's  own  inclination  and  will  is  his  only 
law  or  rule  of  conduct  ;  confequently  there  can  be  no 
fm,  unlefs  it  be  doing  that  which  is  contrary  to  a  per- 
fon's  will  and  choice,  which  is  impoffible. 

But  it  may  be  afked.  Where  is  the  propriety  of  com- 
manding or  exhorting  finners  to  do  that  which  they  ne- 
ver v/ill  do,  unlefs  they  have  a  new  heart  given  to  them 
by  God,  and  he  work  in  them  to  will  and  do  it ;  or 
what  end  will  this  anfwer  ? 

Reply.  The  reafon  and  propriety  of  this  has  been  al- 
ready Ihown ;  and  that  if  this  were  not  reafonable  and 
proper,  there  can  be  no  fuch  thing  as  law  and  moral  go- 
vernment. And  this  is  fuited,  and  even  neceffary,  to 
anfwer  the  followinar  ends. 

Firjl,  If  there  were  no  law  and  commands,  and  thcfe 
were  not  fet  before  fmners,  pointing  out  their  duty,  and 
Urging  them  to  do  what  is  neceflary  to  their  falvation, 
they  could  not  know  wiiat  the  law  is,  and  what  is  their 
duty,  and  what  is  neceflary  to  be  done  by  them  in  order 
to  be  faved  ;  which  is  important  and  neceflary.  With- 
out this  they  would  not  be  under  advantage  to  know 
the  charader  of  God,  of  Jefus  Chrift,  nor  their  own  cha- 
rafter,  nor  what  they  muft  be  and  do  to  be  faved.  "  For 
how  lliall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard  ?   and  how  fliaii  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?'* 

Seconds 


Serm.  Xni.         oF'^irt  suBjEcr.  sa* 

Second,  If  commands  and  exhortations  to  obedience 
were  not  applied  to  fmners,  they  would  not  know  that 
they  are  fmners,  and  how  depraved  and  corrupt  they 
are,  and  how  oppofite  their  hearts  are  to  the  gofpel,  and 
that  they  are  undone  forever,  unlefs  fovereign  grace  give 
them  a  new  heart,  and  make  them  willing  in  the  day 
of  divine  power  ;  all  which  it  is  important  and  even  nc- 
cellary  the  fmner  fliould  know,  in  order  to  his  being 
faved.  The  apoftle  Paul  faid,  "  I  had  not  known  fin, 
biit  by  the  law  :**  and  this  is  true  of  every  one  ;  for  by 
the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  fm.  And  they  cannot  know 
that  their  hearts  are  ftrongly  oppofcd  to  the  gofpel,  the 
way  of  falvation  by  Jefus  Chriil,  until  they  have  the  of- 
fer, and  are  invited  and  exhorted  to  believe  on  him. 

Third.  Therefore  the  gofpel  is  to  be  preached  to  all 
men,  and  every  man  is  to  be  inftructed,  warned  and  ex- 
horted to  believe,  that  he  may  efcape  the  wrath  to  come, 
whether  they  will  bear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear,  or 
refufe  to  hear.  This  is  the  way  which  God  takes  to  an- 
fwer  his  wife,  benevolent  purpofes.  They  to  whom  he 
in  his  wifdom  is  pleafed  to  give  a  heart  to  believe,  will 
embrace  the  gofpel,  and  be  faved  ;  and  under  a  convic- 
tion of  their  guilty,  loft  ftate  by  nature,  and  that  they 
fliould  have  juftly  perifhed,  had  not  God  given  them  a 
heart  to  believe,  they  will  afcribe  the  whole  of  their  fal- 
vation to  fovereign  grace,  and  give  all  the  glory  of  it  to 
God  forever.  They  who  do  not  hear  and  embrace  the 
gofpel,  but,  according  to  the  criminal  choice  of  their 
own  hearts,  rejecl:  the  great  falvation,  will  periih,  under 
the  aggravated  guilt  of  flighting  Jefus  Chrift,  and  abufm^ 
his  grace  and  love,  and  will  exhibit  a  ftriking  manifefta- 
tion  of  the  exceeding,  amazing  depravity  and  wickednefs 
of  the  human  heart,  and  of  the  juftice  of  God  in  their 
eternal  deftruftion. 

it  has  been  obferved,  that  the  text  contains  an  anfwer 
to  the  objection  now  under  confideration,  and  it  has 
been  iliewn  how  it  is  anfwered.  But  an  anfwer  is  found 
in  it,  in  another  view  of  it.  The  Apoftle  tells  Chriftians 
that  if  God  did  not  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do, 

they 


22*  AN    IMPROVEMSNr  SeRM.    XIIL 

tiiey  would  not  will  and  do  any  thing  towards  their  own 
falvation ;  and  at  the  fame  time  exhorts  both  to  will 
and  to  do,  and  work  out  their  own  falvation  with  fear 
and  trembling.  This  is  directly  in  the  face  of  the  ob- 
jection. For  though  they  could  have  no  will  to  work, 
unlefs  God  gave  it  to  them ;  yet  they  are  exhorted  and 
commanded  to  be  willing  and  to  work  out  their  owni: 
falvation.  Why  then  may  not  the  linner,  who  can  have 
no  will  to  do  any  thing  towards  his  falvation,  unlefs  God 
work  it  in  him,  be  exhorted  and  commanded  to  will 
nnd  to  do  ?  Is  it  poflible  to  make  any  obje<5t:ion  to  this^ 
which  is  not  really  againft  the  exhortation  in  the  text  ? 

6.  It  may  be  further  objetfled,  that  the  text,  as  it  has- 
been  explained,  implies  the  doctrine  of  the  certain  pex*-- 
Severance  of  all  true  ChriJiians,  unto  eternal  life  ;  which 
doctrine  tends  to  make  them  who  think  themfelves 
Chriilians  carelcfs  about  their  falvation,  and  leads  them 
to  indulge  them.felves  in  fm,  fmce,  having  once  believed, 
they  fhaii  be  faved,  v/hatever  life  they  live. 

Anfwer.  The  text,  as  it  has  been  underftood,  it  is 
granted,  does  imply  the  do6lrine  of  the  perfeverance  of 
all  real  Chriftians  :  for  if  they  depend  wholly  on  God 
to  renew  their  will  to  holy  exercifes,  by  which  they  are 
born  again,  made  new  creatures,  and  created  in  Chrilt 
Jefus  unto  good  works,  tlier^  is  no  reafon  to  think  he 
will  forfake  fuch  a  work,  and  fuffer  it  to  come  to  no- 
thing ;  as  there  is  an  apparent  inconfillency  in  this  :  it 
may  therefore  be  relied  upon  as  certain,  tliat  Infinite 
Wifdom  and  Unchangeable  Fower  and  Goodnefs  never 
begins  this  great  and  good  work,  by  which  men  are 
brought  into  a  ftate  of  falvation,  and  become  real  friends 
to  God,  and  are  pardoned  and  have  his  favour,  without 
a  defign  to  carry  it  on  till  it  is  completed  in  their  per- 
fect hoiinefs  and  cndlefs  happincfs,  as  this  work  from  be- 
ginning to  end  depends  wholly  on  him.  The  contrary 
fuppofition  appears  moft  unreafonable,  and  unworthy  of 
God,  and  difhonourable  to  him.  Moreover,  the  expref- 
fion  itfelf  denotes  a  conllant  work  which  God  is  carrying 
<Dn  in  Chriftians,  without  cealing  or  relinquifning  it.   '*  It; 

is 


SfikM.    Xlir.  OF'  YHE    SUBjECr.      ^  ^'X^ 

is  God  who  ivorketh  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  ;'*  that  is^^ 
continually,  not  at  one  time  only,  but  always,  to  the  end 
of  life.  It  is  not  faid,  God  did  once  work  in  them,  or 
that  he  did  work  in  them  fometimes,  but  not  always  f 
but  he  worketh  in  you,  as  being  common  to  all  Chriftians^ 
and  at  all  times.  And  in  this  view  only  it  can  be  a  rea  • 
fon  and  encoura^rement  to  work  out  their  own  falvation. 
with  fear  and  trembling',  as  it  has  been  explained. 

But  if  the  doctrine  of  the  certain  perfeverance  of  all 
true  Chriftians  to  final  falvation  were  not  implied  in  the 
words  of  the  text,  when  confidered  alone,  yet  it  is  efta- 
blifhed  with  the  utmoil:  certainty  when  they  are  viewed 
in  xonnedion  with  what  the  Apoftle  had  before  faid  to 
thefe  Chriftians  in  this  epifde.  His  words  arc,  "  Being- 
confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  who  hath  begun  a 
good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jefus- 
Chrifl:  :'*  [chap.  i.  5,  6.]  The  good  work  is  that  fpoken 
of  in  tlite  text,  by  which  God  vvas  working  in  them  both 
to  will  and  to  do.  The  Apoftle,  under  infpiration,  was 
confident,  which  amounts  to  a  certainty,  that  wherever 
he  begins  this  work,  he  will  carry  it  on  to  perfedion, 
"We  therefore  may  be  confident,  and  certain,  that  where- 
ever  God  begins  to  work  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  that 
which  is  good  and  holy,  he  defigns  to  carry  this  work 
en  to  perfedion  ;  that  he  v/ill  completely  finilli  what 
he  once  begins.  And  this  fame  truth  is  abundantly  af- 
ferted,  many  ways,  in  the  Bible,  to  which  it  is  needlefs 
now  particularly  to  attend. 

.  It  is  objected  to  this  dodiine,  that  it  tends  to  make 
Chriftians  carelefs,  and  is  a  temptation  to  indulge  to  fin, 
feeing,  according  to  this  dodlrine,  their  falvation  is  fe- 
cured  to  them,  let  them  live  as  they  will.  An  anfwer 
to  this  is  found  in  the  words  of  the  text,  in  which  this 
doctrine  is  contained,  as  Jias  been  fliewn  :  for  at  the 
fame  time  Chriftians  are  told  that  God  had  begun  a  good 
work  in  them,  which  he  would  finifh,  carrying  it  ^n  to 
perfedion,  they  are  exhorted  to  work  out  their  falva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling  ;  and  that  too  for  this  ve- 
ry reafon,  that  God  was  working  in  them  fo  as  efFeO:uaI- 


2134  AN    IMFROVEMENr  ^ERM.    XIII* 

ly  to  feciirc  falviition  to  them.  They  are  informed  that 
their  vv^orking  out  their  own  falvation  in  this  particular 
manner  was  as  necefiary  to  their  falvation,  as  if  God  did 
not  intend  their  falvation  ;  that  there  was  no  other  way 
to  be  faved  ;  and  that  God  thus  working  in  them  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  with  an  intention  to  go  on  and  per- 
tect  it,  wa:i  the  only  encouragement,  and  a  ftrong  and  co- 
gent motive,  thus  to  work  out  their  own  falvation. 

The  objeclion  before  us  is  therefore  made  in  direct  op- 
pofition  to  the  words  of  the  text,  in  v/hich  the  dodrine 
of  the  faints'  perfeverance  is  improved  as  a  motive  to  eve- 
ry Chrifdan  duty  in  the  practice  of  real  holinefs  :  it  is 
therefore  impoillble  to  encourage  the  contrary.  This 
apoftle  always  fpeaks  in  the  fame  ftrain.  He  fays  of 
himfeif,  in  this  fame  epiftle,  "  Not  as  though  I  had  al- 
ready attained,  either  were  already  perfect  -,  but  I  fol- 
low after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  I  am 
aifo  apprehended  of  Chrift  Jefus.  Reaching  forth  unto 
thofe  things  which  are  before,  I  prefs  towards  the  mark, 
for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Chrift  Jefus." 
The  Apoftie  confidered  himfeif  as  apprehended,  or  laid 
hold  of,  by  Jefus  Ghrift,  when  he  was  converted  and 
became  a  Chriftian,  with  intent  to  keep  his  hold  of  him 
till  he  had  brought  him  to  pofiefs  the  prize  of  eternal 
life.  This  was  fo  far  from  making  him  carelefs  and  in- 
aclive  in  the  duties  of  the  Chriftian  life,  that  he  improv- 
ed it  as  an  encouragement  and  motive  to  activity,  zeal 
and  engagednefs  in  running  the  Chriftian  race,  that  he 
might  obtain  perfed  holincH,  and  the  prize  which  his 
Saviour  intended  for  him,  and  fo  work  out  his  own 
falvation,  of  whicli  he  v/as  affured,  by  what  Jefus  Chrift 
had  already  done  for  him  by  working  in  him  both  to 
u'iil  and  to  do  thofe  things  which  accompany  fdvation, 
being  infallibly  conrecled  with  it.  In  the  fame  view  he 
writes  to  the  Chriftians  at  Theflalonica  :  "  Let  us  who 
are  of  the  day  be  fober,  putting  on  the  breaftplate  of 
faith  and  love,  and  for  an  helmet  the  hope  of  falvation. 
For  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain 
falvation  by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift."    Here  he  writes  in 

the 


SerM.    XH!,  OF   THfi  SUBJECT.  225 

the  fame  manner  as  in  our  text.  He  urges  them  to 
the  practice  of  Chriftian  holinefs,  from  the  encourage > 
ment  and  motive  that  God  had  deligned  them  for  falvn- 
tion,  giving  them  the  character  of  his  children,  by 
which  they  were  interefted  in  the  everlaHing  covenant 
of  orracc,  by  which  falvation  was  infured  to  them. 
"^  This  objection  not  only  has  an  anfwer  in  thefe,  and 
innumerable  other  paflages  of  fcripture,  but  it  is  alfo 
confuted  by  the  inconfil^ency  and  unreafonablenefs  of 
it.  It  carries  this  inconfiitency  in  it,  that  if  the  per- 
feverance  of  Chriftians  in  holinefs  is  made  certain  by 
God,  on  whom  they  depend  for  it,  and  he  has  deter- 
mined they  Ihall  work  out  their  own  falvation  ;  then 
it  is  not  neceflary  that  they  fhould  live  a  holy  life,  and 
work  oat  their  falvation,  and  they  may  be  faved  with- 
out ail  this,  and  however  much  they  negle<^  their  own 
falvation,  and  indulge  themfelves  in  all  manner  of 
iniquity  :  or,  if  it  be  m.adc  certain  that  they  fliall  per- 
fevere  in  a  holy  life,  that  they  may  be  faved,  then  they 
may  as  well  and  certainly  be  faved  without  perfevering 
in  a  holy  life,  and  though  they  fall  away  into  fin  :  and 
this  will  encourage  Chriftians  not  to  attempt  or  delire 
to  perfevere  in  obedience,  and  to  live  in  fm.  They  who 
can  argue  thus  have  given  up  the  ufe  of  reafon,  to  em- 
brace the  moft  palpable  abfurdity. 

The  objecloi"  alfo  falls  into  another  inconfiftency,  by 
fuppofmg  that  a  Chriftian  m.ay  have  affurance  that  he  is 
a  real  Chriilian,  and  therefore  fhall  be  faved,  when  he  is 
fo  inclined  to  fin  as  to  prefer  living  in  lin  and  the  indul- 
gence of  his  lufts  to  a  holy  life  ;  and  that  he  may  m>ain- 
tain  his  aiuirance,  while  he  neglects  religion  as  a  tafk, 
and  lives  a  carelefs,  wicked  life  ;  which  is  contrary  to 
truth,  to  fcripture,  and  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things. 
If  it  were  polTible  that  a  real  Chriftian  could  be  in  fucli 
a  frame,  and  have  fuch  a  prevailing  difpofition,  and  con- 
tinue in  it,  it  would  be  impoflible  that  he  Hiould  have 
any  juft  and  well  grounded  aifurance  of  his  being  a 
Chriftian  ;  for  he  can  have  no  evidence  of  this,  but  from 
a  difpoiition  and  exercifes  direftly  contrary  to  a  prefe- 

G  a:  rence 


2.26  AN    IMPROVEMEls^T  SlTRM.    Xllli^ 

rcnce  of  :l  life  of  fm,  viz.  exercifes  of  real  liolinefe,  difpof- 
ins:  tu  work  out  his  own  falvLitioii  with  feur  and  trcm- 
bling.  Ihe  Hypocrite,  who  has  no  true  grace,  may  be  fo 
deluded  as  to  think  and  prefume  he  is  a  real  Chrillian, 
and  abufe  the  doctrine  of  the  certain  ialvation  of  all  who 
Ire  once  Chriftians,  to  indulge  in  fm,  becaule  he  has  re- 
ally no  love  to  hoiinefs,  and  prefers  a  life  of  lin  to  the 
life  of  a  Chriftian.  But  it  is  inconiiilent  to  fuppofe  that 
'L  real  Chrillian  lliould  have  or  think  he  has  evidence  that 
lie  is  a  Chrillian,  while  he  is  in  a  carelefs  frame,  and 
loves  the  pleafure  of  fm  rather  than  God  and  hoiinefs. 

The  fcripture  after ts  that  affurance  of  being  .a ,  Chrif- 
tian,  and  of  falvation,  is  to  be  attained  and  maintained 
in  no  other  way  but  tiie  exercife  of  hoiinefs,  i^nd  great 
c^re  and  diligence  in  living  a  holy  life.  The  apoflle 
John  fays,  "  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word, 
neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  And  here- 
by we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  Ihall  allure 
our  hearts  before  him  :"  [i  'John.,  \\u  i8,  19.]  The 
apoftle  Peter  exhorts  profciling  Chriftians  to  take  care 
to  live  and  abound  in  the  excrcife  of  every  Chriftian 
grace,  in  order  to  have  and  maintain  an  affurance  of 
their  real  Chriftianity  ;  and  concludes  with  thefe  words  : 
'^  V/herefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  diligence  to 
I'nake  your  calling  and  ele<5lion  fure  ;  for  if  ye  do  thefe 
things  ye  ihail  never  fall:"  [2  Fet.  i.  5 — 10.3  This  is 
the  fcriptural  way  of  affurance ;  and  they  who  think 
they  have  an  affurance  that  they  are  Chriffians  in  any 
other  way,  and  from  fome-  other  propofed  evidence,  are 
prefuming,  and  deceiving  themfelves  to  their  own  de- 
Itruction.         ,   ^._;^   , 

And  it  muftbe  further  obferved,  that  it  is  not  only 
inconiiilent  with  the  character  of  a  true  Chriftian  at 
.any  time  to  prefer  a  neglecl  of  religion  and  a  living  in 
allowed  fm,  to  a  holy  life,  if  the  former  were  as  fure  a 
way  to  falvation  as  the  latter ;  fo  that  an  affurance  that 
he  lliall  be  favcd  will  be  no  inducement  to  him  to  live 
a  care]efi,  fmful  life :  but  it  is  yet  a  greater  inconfiften- 
cy   and  contradiclion  to  fuppofe  a  Chriftian,  in  that 

ftrong 


Serm.  XTIT.  or  the  subject.  ^ty 

ftrong  and  lively  exercifc  of  grace,  and  love  of  Iiojinefs, 
which  always  attends  a  true  allurancc  that  he  is  a  Chrif- 
tian,  and  fhali  be  faved,  fliould  then  and  for  that  reafon 
prefer  a  life  of  fin  to  a  holy  life,  and  from  this  aiTu  ranee 
be  led  into  fin.  This  is  impofiible ;  and  directly  the  re- 
verfe  is  certain,  viz.  that  fiich  an  ailurance  \z  not  only 
accompanied  by  a  ftrong  defire  and  engagednefs  to  live 
a  holy  life,  as  without  this  there  can  be  no  real  aiTurancc, 
as  has  been  iliown  ;  but  the  aflurance  itfelf  will  greatly 
add  to  the  ilreno:th  of  defire  and  enQfaorednefs  to  li%'e  a 
holy  life,  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  for  his  own  com- 
fort, were  it  not  necefiary  in  order  to  be  faved. 

There  are  not  only  thefe  inconfiftencies  in  the  objec- 
tion, but  the  objector  fuppofes  that  the  true  Chriftian. 
is  wholly  felfifli  and  mercenary  in  all  he  does,  and  is  aU 
ways  difpofed  to.  prefer  a  life  in  fin  to  a  holy  life,  if  he 
may  be  as  fure  of  his  own  falvation  by  living  in  fin,  as 
by  the  contrary.  Therefore,  having  no  true  love  to 
God  and  rec^ard  for  his  honour,  nor  anv  deligi;ht  in  the 
law  of  God,  or  love  of  holinefs  for  its  own  fake ;  if  he 
can  obtain  a  promife  that  he  fhail  be  faved,  he  will  have 
no  m.otive  to  ferve  God,  or  have  any  concern  for  his 
character  and  glory  ;  but  will  choofe  to  live  a  life  of 
enmity  to  God,  by  ferving  himfelf  and  his  own  lufts. 
It  is  certain  there  never  was,  and  never  will  be,  fiicb  a 
real  Chrifiiian,  though  thoufands  have  with  the  objcclor 
fuppofed  it,  and  are  hoping  for  heaven  by  living  in  the 
exercife  of  :i  fclfifii  religion,  which  is  abomination  in  the 
fight  of  God,  and  will  certainly  lead  them  to  deftruc- 
tion. 

The  doctrine  of  the  certain  perfevcrance  of  all  real 
Chriftians  in  a  life  of  holinefs  to  falvation,  fecurcd  to 
them  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  a  comfortable  and 
pleafing  doftrine  to  the  true  Chriftian.  He  knows  his 
own  infufiiciency,  and  abfolute  and  confi:ant  dependence 
on  God  for  ail  holy  exercifes  and  conduct :  and. that  if 
God  fliould  le:ive  him  to  himfelf,  he  lliould  fall  into  fin 
and  ruin.  And  when  he  finds  a  promife  in  the  covenant 
of  grace,  that  ail  true  Chriftians  fkall  be  kept  by  the 

power 


228  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.    XIII. 

power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  falvation,  and  that 
where  he  has  begun  a  good  work  in  men  he  will  carry  it 
on  to  the  day  of  complete  redemption,  he  lays  fail  hold 
of  it,  as  the  only  ground  of  hope  that  he  ihill  perfevere 
unto  falvation,  and  would  not  be  without  it  for  a  thou- 
fand  worlds.  But  the  fclf-confident  hypocrite,  who 
never  knew  his  own  heart,  but  thinks  he  can  ftand  in 
his  own  ilrength,  and  diftinguifli  himfelf  from  others 
who  have  the  fame  afliilance  which  he  has,  and  by  his 
own  exertions  embrace  the  gofpel  and  live  a  holy  life,  in 
which  he  himielf,  not  God,  determines  whether  he  Ihall 
be  favcd  or  not,  by  his  own  independent  obedience,  or 
by  the  abufe  of  the  afliftance  he  has  ;  to  fuch  this  doc- 
trine is  moft  difpleafmg,  and  they  will  oppofe  it  with  all 
their  might ;  becaufe  it  takes  away  their  god  in  which 
they  truft,  their  own  felves,  and  makes  their  falvation 
altogether  dependent  on  God,  from  firft  to  laft.  For 
the  fame  reafon  they  oppofe  the  doctrines  of  the  divine 
decrees  and  of  election,  as  thefe  reprefent  men  as  wholly 
dependent  on  God,  efpecially  for  falvation,  as  according 
to  this  he  determines  who  fhall  be  faved,  and  who  fliall 
not,  independent  of  man,  according  to  his  own  pleafure. 
This  is  the  only  reafon  that  can  be  juftly  affigned  for 
their  difpleafurc  at  thefe  doctrines,  and  their  oppofition 
to  them.  And  if  perfons  of  this  character  do  not  truft 
in  man,  and  rely  on  an  arm  of  fleih,  even  themfeives, 
and  that  in  a  matter  of  the  greateft  importance  and 
magnitude,  infinitely  more  fo  than  their  own  exiftence, 
or  any  other  of  their  concerns,  it  will  be  difficult,  yea, 
impoflible,  to  conceive  what  is  meant  by  trufting  in 
man.  How  is  it  poffible  then  that  they  fliould  efcape 
the  awful  curfe  pronounced  by  God  ?  "  Thus  faith  the 
Lord,  curfed  be  the  man  that  trufteth  in  man,  and 
maketh  fleih  his  arm  :'*    [^Jer.  xvii.  5.] 

7.  It  is  objected,  that  thefe  doctrines,  of  man's  entire 
dependence  on  God  in  doing  any  thing  towards  his 
own  falvation,  of  election,  and  the  certain  perfeverance 
of  all  true  Chriltians,  if  they  be  true,  had  better  not  be 
preached,  fince  they  will  not  be  underftood  by  people 

ia 


$£RM.    XIII.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  22^ 

in  general,  and  are  very  ofFenfive  to  many,  by  which 
they  are  prejudiced  againft  religion  ;  and  by  many  who 
believe  them,  are  abuled  to  very  bad  purpoles  ;  and,  on 
the  whole,  do  much  more  hurt  than  goo'd. 

Anfiver.  This  objection  is  really  againil  the  Bible  it- 
feif ;  and  particularly  againft  the  text  we  arc  confidering, 
in  which  theie  doctrines  are  all  either  exprefl'ed  or  im- 
plied, as  has  been  Ihown.  Therefore  the  whole  Bible, 
and  more  efpecially  our  text,  are  to  be  adduced  as  con- 
taining a  complete  anfwer. 

If  thefe  doctrines  are  not  to  be  preached,  inculcated 
or  mentioned,  why  are  they  contained  in  the  Bible  ? 
Why  has  God  publiflied  them  to  the  world  ?  If  the 
preaching  of  thefe  do<5lrines  tends  to  do  hurt,  then  their 
being  publilhed  in  the  Bible,  which  is  to  be  read  by  all, 
has  an  evil  tendency.  They  who  make  this  objeclion, 
who  are  not  a  few,  would  drop  it  immediately,  if  they 
have  any  proper  regard  for  the  Bible,  as  it  is  levelled 
againft  divine  revelation,  and  the  Author  of  it. 

If  thefe  doclrines  be  not  underftood  by  any  preachers 
or  hearers,  this  muft  be  their  own  fault ;  for  nothing  is 
revealed  which  may  not  be  underftood,  fo  far  as  it  is 
revealed,  by  the  honeft,  attentive  reader  of  the  Bible,  in 
the  affiduous  ufe  of  all  the  helps  in  his  reach.  And  if 
they  be  not  underftood,  the  fault  muft  be  in  the  hearer 
or  the  preacher,  or  perhaps  in  both. 

That  thefe  doctrines  are  improved  to  increafe  the 
prejudices  of  many  againft  religion,  and  are  abufed  by 
others  to  evil  purpofes,  is  no  reafon  why  they  ftiould 
not  be  taught,  explained  and  vindicated  ;  ftnce  this  is 
an  equal  reafon  why  none  of  the  important  truths  of 
the  Bible  fliould  be  taught ;  for  there  is  no  truth  in  di- 
vine revelation  which  is  not  liable  to  abufe,  and  has  not 
been  abufed  by  men,  to  their  own  hurt.  It  is  no  new 
thing  for  men  to  pervert  the  writings  of  infpiration  to 
their  own  deftrudion.  Shall  they  therefore  be  laid 
afide,  and  not  ftudied  and  inculcated  r  Let  the  objedor 
judge. 

Let 


230  AN  IMPROVEMENT       SeRM.  XlVt 

Let  Ttho  Vv'ill  think  thefe  truths  to  be  of  little  confe- 
quence,  and  not  fuitable  to  be  maintained  and  preached ^ 
or  doubt  or  dilbelieve  them,  or  abufe  them  to  the  worft 
purpofes  :  yet  they  remain  highly  important  and  ufefuK 
They  have  been  found  to  be  fo,  by  thoufands  and  mil- 
lions. And  the  heart  of  every  true  Chriftian  is  formed 
upon  them,  or  agreeable  to  them,  whatever  his  fpecula- 
tions  may  be.  And  there  is  no  other  way  to  heaven 
than  that  vx^hich  is  marked  out  in  our  text.  This  leads., 
to  the  next  head  of  improvement. 


^txrami  xiv. 


PhiK  ii.  13,.  13.  Work  out  your  ozvn  fahat'ion  ivith  fear 
and  tremhlmg  :  for  it  is  God  ivho  ivorketh  in  yoii^  both  /a 
luill  and  to  do,  of  his  good  plcafure. 

III.'T~^riIS  fubjed  is  to  be  improved  in  a  ufe  of  Ex-. 

|_      AMINATION.  ''■' 

This  is  the  moft  important  and  ufeful  part  of  the 
fubjecl  to  which  we  have  attended.  The  text,  ?.^  it  has 
l)ecn  confidered  and  opened,  and  vindicated  from  ob- 
jeftions,  points  out  the  only  way  to  heaven,  and  ex- 
hibits the  true  character  of  every  real  Chriftian  ;  and 
teaches  with  what  viev.'-s,  exercifes  and  efforts  he  muft 
work  out  his  own  faivation.  But  ail  this  will  be  in  \^ain 
to  us,  if  we  do  not  apply  it  to  ourfelves,  and  in  this 
light  examine  and  try  ourfelves,  whether  we  be  real 
Chriftians,  according  to  this  defcription  of  a  Chriftian, 
and  walking  in  the  narrow  way  to  heaven. 

They  who  are  fmcerely  deftrous  to  know  their  own 
ftate  and  character,  and  to  determine  from  the  beft  evi- 
dence whether  they  be  real  Chriftians  or  not,  may  be 
afllfted  in  this  moft  important  inquiry,  by  attending  ta 
the  following  particulars. 

1.  Have  you  ever  been  convinced,  and  have  you  a 
clear,  conftant  and  growing  conviction,  of  your  utter 

infufliciency 


9eRM.    XIV*  OF    THE    SUBJECTi  23r 

infufficiency  to  will  and  do  any  good  tiling,  unlefs  God 
work  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  ;  by  reafon  of  the  natural 
depravity  of  your  hearts,  by  which  you  w^ere,  in  a 
moral  fenfe,  dead  in  trefpali'es  and  fins  ?  that  if  you 
fliould  be  left  to  yourfelves,  to  foUov/  your  own  will 
and  choice,  without  the  powerful,  regenerating  influen- 
ces of  the  Spirit  of  God,  you  fiiould  certainly  run  on  to 
deftruclion ;  and  arc  therefore  wholly  dependent  on 
Ood  for  every  right  motion  of  will,  and  all  that  which 
is  right  and  good  in  you  ;  even  on  his  fovereign,  un- 
deferved  grace  ?  The  Chriilian  has  a  clear  and  powerful 
conviction  of  this  in  his  own  mind  continually,  and 
daily  acknowledges  it  to  God,  and  increafes  in  a  fenfe  of 
the  depravity  of  his  own  heart,  and  his  conftant  depen- 
dence on  God  for  divine  influences  to  work  in  him  every 
right  motion  of  heart  j  and  a  view  and  fenie  of  this 
truth  attends  all  his  exercifes  and  conducl.  And  v^hile 
he  feels  his  conftant  dependence  on  God  to  will  and  do 
any  thing  that  is  right,  he  acquiefces  in  it,  and  humbly 
trufts  in  God,  and  cries  to  him  for  his  alhftance  and 
grace. 

Herein  lies  the  foundation  of  the  hrft  and  2;reat  dif- 
ference  between  a  true  Chriftian  and  thofe  who  are  not 
fo.  The  latter  are  ftran2:ers  to  this  conviction  and  feel- 
mg,  and,  whatever  their  fpeculations  may  be,  it  they  do 
or  attempt  any  thing  in  religion,  they  do  it  in  their 
own  ftrength,  and  feel  as  if  they  had  fom.e  fuiliciency  of 
their  own  to  do  good,  and  were  not  vv'holly  dependent 
on  God  for  every  right  motion  of  heart,  or  exercife  of 
will. 

2.  Do  you  feel  a  conftant  and  cordial  conviction  that 
you  are  wholly  blameable  for  the  want  of  a  difpofition 
to  will  and  do  that  which  is  necelTary  for  your  falvation, 
and  for  all  oppofition  of  will  to  this  •,  that  your  infufli- 
ciency  to  work  out  your  own  falvation,  and  dependence 
on  God  to  work  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  it,  is  no  excufe 
for  your  not  doing  it  ;  but  that  your  want  of  a  will  to 
do  it,  and  all  oppoiite  inclination,  is  altogether  your  own. 
fault.     Are  you  vrilling  to  be  looked  upon  in  this  light,. 

and 


5232  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.    XIV^ 

and  difpofed  to  confefs  this  as  your  fm,  and  humble 
yourfdf  in  the  fight  of  God  for  every  thing  in  your 
heart  and  life  w^hich  is  not  conformable  to  the  holy  law 
of  God  ?~  It  cannot  be  rcafonably  fuppofed  that  a  true 
Chritlian,  who  has  been  convinced  of  his  own  linfulnefs 
by  an  acquaintance  with  the  law,  and  is  a  hearty  friend 
to  it,  as  pcrfeclly  right  and  good  ;  who  is  a  friend  to 
Chrift,  who  has  obeyed  this  law,  and  died  on  the  crofs 
to  magnify  it  and  make  it  honourable,  and  to  fave  his 
people  from  their  fins  -,  that  fuch  an  one  fhould  not  con- 
demn himfelf  for  every  thing  in  his  heart  and  life  which 
in  the  Icaft  deviates  from  this  law,  and  is  not  a  perfect 
conformity  to  it :  for  not  to  do  this  is  inconliftent  with 
his  character  as  a  Chrifdan. 

3.  When  you  are  moft  attentive  to,  and  feelingly 
fenlible  of,  your  own  weaknefb  and  infufficiency,  and  of 
your  dependence  on  God  in  the  fenfe  above  defcribed, 
is  this  lb  far  from  difcouraging  you,  and  difpoling  you 
to  lit  iiill  and  do  nothing,  that  then  )  ou  have  the  moft 
ardent  defires,  and  the  greateft  courage,  zeal  and  en- 
gagcdnefs  to  profeciite  and  go  through  the  work  of  a 
Chriftian,  and  work  out  your  own  falvation  ?  This, 
which  has  been  the  matter  of  difcouragem.ent,  uneaiinefs 
and  objeclion  to  multitudes,  has  a  directly  contrary  in- 
fluence with  the  Chriftian,  and  opens  the  only  way  in 
which  he  can  have  hope,  and  by  it  he  is  animated  with 
zeal  and  coura'ii'e  to  run  the  Chriftian  race ;  and  what 
others  cannot  feel  to  be  conliftent,  or  be  pleafed  with^ 
is  to  him  plain  and  eafy,  and  moft  fatisfadory  and  pleaf- 
ing,  as  moft  fuited  to  glorify  God,  and  promote  the 
humility,  holinefs  and  happinefs  of  man.  In  this  view, 
and  in  this  way  only,  the  gofpel  is  to  the  Chriftian  the 
wifdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God.  Agreeable  to 
this  St.  Paul  fays,  "  When  I  am  weak,  then  am  I 
ftrong."  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Chrift  who. 
ftrengtheneth  me."  That  is.  When  I  have  the  greateft 
fenfe  of  my  own  weaknefs,  and  infuiliciency  to  the  work 
before  m^e,  I  fet;l  the  greateft  ftrength  and  courage  by 
trufting  in  the  grace  and  power  of  Chrift  j  I  am  then- 

.ftrong 


SeRM.    XIV.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  233 

ftrong  in  die  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might,  and 
can  with  courage  undertake  and  go  through  the  moft 
difficult  and  arduous  work. 

4.  Are  you  influenced  to  will  and  do,  and  quickened 
and  excited  to  religious  cxercifes,  in  fuch  a  way  and 
manner  as  naturally  leads  you  to  be  feniible  that  thcfe 
things  take  place  by  the  grace  and  alTiflance  of  God,  fo 
'that  you  are  difpofed  to  afcribe  all  to  him,  and  not  tp 
yourfelyes  ?  Do  your  own  feelings  and  experience  wit- 
nefs  to  your  own  mind  that  "  It  is  not  of  him  who  wil- 
leth,  nor  of  him  who  runneth,  but  of  God,  who  fhew- 
eth  mercy  ?'*  It  is  doubtlefs  God's  way  fo  to  work  in 
Chriftians  by  his  Spirit  as  to  lead  them  to  be  fenfible 
that  all  orig-inates  from  him,  and  to  acknowledcre  him 
lo  be  the  worker  of  all  good  in  them.  And  they  can 
from  their  own  experience- adopt  the  words  of  Paul^ 
and  fay,  "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am.** 

5.  Ar«  you  indeed  doing  the  work  of  a  Chriftian, 
working  out  your  own  falvation,  in  any  meafure  in  the 
manner  which  has  been  defcribed  ?  Do  you  make  re- 
ligion, and  the  fervice  of  Jefus  Chrift  and  his  intereft, 
your  great  and  really  your  only  buiinefs  ?  And  do  you 
make  any  progrefs,  and  abound  more  and  more  ? 

The  real  Chriftian  is  painfully  fenfible  that  he  fails 
and  comes  unfpeakably  fliort  in  every  thing,  which  he 
knows  is  to  be  attributed  to  his  own  depravity  and  the 
lin  which  dweileth  in  him,  fo  that  when  he  would  do 
good,  evil  (fm)  is  prefent  with  him,  and  the  good 
which  he  would  he  does  not.  And  this  finful  defect^ 
and  the  evil  which  attends  him  in  all  he  does,  is  a^ 
grievous  burden,  and  matter  of  conftant  humiliatioa 
before  God.  And  the  more  the  Chriilian  does,  and 
the  more  zeal  and  enc^ag-edncfs  he  has  in  relig-ion,  the 
more  ienuble  he  is  of  his  linful  defects  ;  therefore  this 
increaling  fenfibihty  is  no  evidence  that  he  is  not  w^ork- 
ing  out  his  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  but 
on  the  contrary  is  a  fign  that  he  is  a  real  Chriilian,  and 
is  willing  and  working.  They  who  do  the  leaft,  or 
rather  nothing  at  all,  in  this  work  of  a  Chrifiian,  are 
H  h  commcnly 


554  A-*^    IMPROVEMENT  Sep.M.    XIV, 

commonly  moft  infcnfible  of  their  defects,  and  are  dif- 
pofed  to  think  they  are  doing  much,  and  have  few  or 
no  painful  defects  to  lament.' 

But  though  every  Chriftian  comes  fo  lamentably  (liort 
of  Vv^hat  he  ought^  and  heartily  delires  and  wilhes  to  doj 
which  is  matter  of  conftant  Ihame  and  hurniiliation  ; 
yet  he  is  really  working  out  his  own  falvation,  in  the 
manner  which  has  been  defcribed  in  the  preceding  dif- 
courfes,  and  is  making  this  work  his  only  bufmefs. 
And  he  muft  be  fuppofcd  to  gain  Ikiil  and  llrength  to 
profecute  this  work,  and  grow  in  grace  ind  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift,  the 
longer  he  is  in  the  Chriftian  fchool,  and  is  going  in  the 
way  to  heaven.  He  therefore  M^ho  is  not  in  fome  good 
meafure  diligent  in  this  bufmefs,  and  fervent  in  fpirit, 
ferving  the  Lord,  is  not  fledfaft,  unmoveable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  has  no  reafon  to 
think  he  has  ever  entered  upon  this  work,  or  knows 
what  it  is  to  live  the  life  of  a  Chriftian. 

6.  Bo  you  live  a  life  of  prayer  ?  The  Chriftian,  who 
is  working  out  his  own  flilvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling, feeling  his  own  iiifufliciencyj  and  conftant  depen- 
dence on  God  to  work  in  him  to  will  and  to  do,  and  hav- 
ing a  lively  fen fibility  of  his  dangerous  fituation,  fur- 
tounded  with  numerous  fubtil,  potent  enemies,  who  arc 
fceking  his  ruin,  and  befet  with  various  and  ftrong  temp- 
tations to  turn  afide,  and  offend  God  ;  and  that  he  Ihall 
inc\'itably  fall  into  deftrudiouj  unlefs  God  prevent  it  by 
his  conftant  influences  afid  fovereign  grace  ;  is  conftant^ 
ly  looking  to  God  for  fafety  and  help,  and  exprefting 
his  only  hope  and  truft  in  him,  praying  with  all  prayer 
and  fupphcation  in  the  Spirit^  watching  thereunto 
witli  all  perfeverance.  He  will  carneftly  ci^  to  him  for 
his  direc'tion  and  afnftance,  in  every  exigence  and  at  all 
times,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  as  long  as  he 
lives. 

A  child  on  the  fide  of  a  tremendous  precipice,  'de- 
pending on  his  father  to  guide  him  in  every  ftep,  and 
hold  him  up  by  his  hand,*^  by  which  alone  his  fall  and- 

bein-i 


SeRM.    XIV-  OF    THE    SUBJECT,  .  235 

being  daflied  to  pieces  can  be  prevented,  Avduld  keep 
his  eye  conftantly  on  his  father,  and  cry  to  him  to  help 
him  from  falling,  and  conduct  him  fafe  through,  all  the 
dangers  with  which  he  feels  himfelf  furrounded.  Or 
fhoiild  a  child  be  in  the  mjdft  of  a  wiidernefs  with  his 
father,  filled  with  fierce  beafts  of  prey,  ready  to  devour 
him,  while  he  is  without  any  ftrength  to  defend  him- 
felf, and  knows  not  one  ilep  of  the  way  to  a  place  of 
fafetv,  and  feels  that  if  he  ihould  be  a  minute  without 
the  help  and  guidance  of  his  father,  he  fhould  run  di- 
rcdly  into  the  mouth  of  fome  favage  beafl,  or  turn 
afide  from  the  only  way  to  efcape  dqath,  he  would  con- 
ftantly cry  to  his  father  for  help  and  protection,  who 
alone  could  fave  him.  And  if  his  father  lliould  be 
out  of  his  fight  but  a  few  minutes,  what  a  cry  would 
he  raife  after  him  !  and  never  ceafe  till  he  got  hold  of 
his  father's  hand. 

And  Ihall  not  the  Chriflian,  who  feels  himfelf  in  cir- 
cumftances  of  which  thofe  of  the  child  now  defcribed 
are  but  a  very  faint  reprefentation,  being  infinitely  more 
important  and  affecting,  cry  night  and  day  unto  his 
God  an^i  only  Saviour,  for  help,  fuccour  and  deliver- 
ance !  Surely  he  will  conftantly  with  cheerfulnefs  obey 
his  invitation  and  command,  as  not  only  his  duty  but 
his  greateft  privilege,  while  he  hears  him  faying,  "  Look 
unto  me,  my  fpoufe,  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the 
mountains  of  the  leopards  :  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
trouble  ;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  fhalt  glorify  mc  : 
Aflsi,  and  ye  ftiall  receive  ;  feek,  and  ye  fhall  find ;. 
knock,  and  it  fhall  be  opened  unto  you :  Pray  always, 
and  faint  not :  Pray  without  ceafmg,"  &;c.  And  the 
more  he  loves  God,  and  the  ftronger  is  his  faith  and 
truft  in  him,  and  his  confidence  in  the  certain  and 
punctual  fulfilment  of  all  his  pi^mifes,  the  more  hearty, 
earneft  and  fervent  his  prayers  will  be  ;  for  in  this  way. 
he  will  exprefs  a  fenfe  of  his  dependence  on  God,  and 
his  love  to  him,  and  faitli,  :jnd  truft  in  his  promifes. 

The  nominal  Chriftian,  who  has  no  proper  fenfe  of 
bis  dependence  on  God,  as  it  has  been  explained,  but 

feels 


I23^  AK    IMPROVEMENT  SfiRM.    XIV: 

feels  hlmfelf  in  a,  great  meafure  fufncient  to  the'work  of 
a  Chriftian,  and  has  no  real  love  to  God,  or  truft  in 
his  promiies,  and  dependence  upon  him,  to  work  all  his 
works  in  him,  both  to  will  and  to  do.  can  live  without 
much  prayer  from  day  to  day  ;  or,  if  he  pray,  it  will  be 
but  a  formal,  cold  bufmefs,  in  which  there  is  no  en- 
gagednefs  or  heart.  But  this  is  not  the  character  of  .i 
true  Chriilian,  who  is  working  out  his  own  falvation. 
with  fear  and  trembhng,  knowing  that  it  is  God  who 
worketh  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do.  He  cafteth  all 
his  care  upon  God,  and  in  every  thing  by  prayer  anci 
fupplication,  v.'ith  thankfgiving,  makes  known  his  re- 
quells  unto  God.  Eehevihg  that  they  have  a  Great 
High  Prieft,  who  is  in  heaven,  Jefus  the  Son  of  God; 
they  come  boldly,  with  the  utmoft  freedom  of  accefs 
and  of  fpeech,  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  they  may- 
obtain  mercy,  and  find  help  in  time  ox  need. 

7.  Have  you,  after  you  have  done  all,  no  reliance  on 
what  you  do,  to  recom.mend  you  to  God  as  lefs  deferv- 
ing  of  his  difpleafure,  or  more  worthy  of  pardon  of 
your  fins,  and  of  falvation  ;  feeling  that  if  God  Ihouid 
be  flrict  to  mark  your  iniquity  againft  you,  you  can- 
not anfwer  or  fland  before  him,  and  m.uft  juftly  perilli 
forever  ?  Under  this  view  and  conviction  do  you  con- 
ftantly  fiy  to  Chrift,  and  trulf  in  his  atonement,  which 
he  has  made  by  his  blood,  and  in  his  righteoufnefs,  for 
pardon  and  acceptance  with  God  ;  feeling  yourfelves 
to  be  infinitely  guilty  and  ili-deferving  ;  that  were  it 
not  for  Chriil  and  his  worthinefs,  and  your  union  to 
him  and  intereft  in  his  righteoufnefs,  you  mufc  fmk  in- 
to hell  ;  and  that  nothing  in  you,  or  that  you  have 
done  or  can  do,  can  be  acceptable  to  God,  unlefs  you 
are  accepted  in  the  infinitely  beloved  and  worthy 
Saviour  ?  and  in  this  way,  and  under  this  feniibic 
conviction,  whatfoever  you  do,  do  you  do  all  in  the 
name  of  Chriil,  alking  all  you  petition  for  in  his  name, 
and  hoping  for  acceptance  and  mercy  for  his  fake  alone  ? 
It  has  been  fhewn  that  this  is  eflcntir<l  to  the  characler 
of  thOfe  who  walk  humbly  with  God,  and  work  out 

their 


^fiUM.    XIV.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.'  23^ 

their  own  falvation  with  fear  and  tremblin?^.  He  who 
attempts  to  work  out  his  own  falvation  in  any  other 
■way,  is  really  working  out  his  own  deftrucrlon. 
Hi  8.  On  the  whole,  let  all  profefling  Chriftlans  feriouf- 
ly  and  with  great  care  examine  themfelves,  and  inquire? 
whether  they  be  really  walking  in  the  narrow  way  to 
heaven,  deicribed  in  the  text ;  whether  they  have  ildll  to 
dilcern  and  diftinc^uilh  it  from  all  others  which  have  been 
dcvifed  by  men,  or  that  can  be  imagined  ;  whether  they 
know  there  are  the  llrongeil  mecives  and  greatell:  en- 
couragements to  work  out  tlieir  own  falvation,  while 
they  are  certain  that  they  are  wholly  dependent  on  God 
for  this,  and  fliall  do  nothing  unlefs  he  work  in  them  to 
will  and  to  do  ;  and  that  by  all  they  do  they  do  not  de- 
ferve  the  Icaft  favour,  but  remain  as  ill-deferving  as  ever  ; 
and  iind  thcmfelves  as  zealous  and  as  much  engaged  to  do. 
while  they  know  they  can  do  nothing  of  thcmfelves,  as 
if  they  were  felf-fufiicient,  and  independent  on  God  to 
w^ork  in  them  to  will  and  do,  and  could  merit  their  own 
falvation  by  what  they  do  ;  whether  their  depravity  of 
heart,  and  indifpofition  to  do  any  good  thing  unlefs  God 
work  in  them  to  will  and  do,  be  matter  of  fliame  and 
felf-condemnation  to  them,  having  no  excufe  to  offer  for 
it,  but  take  the  whole  blame  to  thcmfelves,  being  difpo- 
fed  to  juftify  God,  iliould  he  leave  them  to  perilh  in  their 
fm,  and  always  ready  with  pleafure  to  give  him  all  the 
glory  of  their  falvation,  if  he  of  his  fovereign  grace  fhall 
begin  and  carry  on  this  work  to  perfection  ;  whether 
they  are  willing  to  be  in  his  hand,  to  difpofe  of  them  as 
he  in  his  infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs  fhall  fee  befl,  and 
rejoice  that  all  men  and  all  things  fhall  be  governed  and 
difpofed  of  fo  as  to  anfwer  the  wifefl:  and  beft  ends,  thus 
always  rejoicing  in  the  Lord,  that  he  reigns  v/ithout  any 
pofTible  controul  forever. 

He  who  underftands  our  text,  and  fees  the  truths  ex- 
prefied  and  implied  in  it  to  be  perfectly  confident  and 
harmonious,  and  heartily  acquiefces  in  them,  and  in  the 
view  of  thefe  truths,  and  on  this  plan,  is  conftantly  work- 
ing out  his  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  is 

doubtlefs 


£3^  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.    XIV. 

doubtlefs  taught  of  God,  and  made  wife  unto  falvation, 
which  he  will  finally  obtain,  through  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift. 

But  he  wlio  fits  ftill  or  loiters  with  refpeft  to  this 
great  work,  from  whatever  motive,  or  is  labouring  to  go 
to  heaven  in  his  own  firength,  independent  of  God,  fo 
as  to  be  at  heart  oppofed  to  his  falvation  being  determin- 
ed by  God,  and  on  this  ground  is  in  his  heart  an  enemy 
to  the  doftrines  of  the  decrees  of  God,  of  eleftion,  and 
the  certain  perfeverance  of  all  true  Chriftians  ;  is  in 
darknefs  until  now,  and  knows  not  the  only  way  of  fal- 
vation. The  fcripture  warrants  us  in  this  conclufion, 
however  uncharitable  and  cenforious  many  may  think 
it  to  be.  We  appeal  to  the  Bible,  and  to  the  day  of 
judgment. 

IV.  This  fubje61:  will  be  improved  by  urging  the  ex^. 
hortation  in  the  text.  Let  all  who  hope  to  be  faved, 
make  it  their  only  bufinefs  to  work  out  their  own  falva^ 
tion  with  fear  and  tremibling.  There  is  no  other  way 
to  heaven  but  this  ;  and  this  is  a  work  of  life,  which 
cannot  be  finiflied  till  death  takes  us  out  of  the  world. 
This  is  the  fight  of  faith,  by  perfeverance  in  which  the 
Chriftian  will  lay  hold  of  eternal  life. 

The  lead  deviation  from  this  narrow  way,  or  neglect 
or  loitering  in  this  work,  is  unreafonable,  and  an  abufe 
of  the  gofpel,  and  tends  to  evil.  In  order  to  go  in  this 
way,  the  flefli  with  the  affeftions  and  lulls  mufi:  be 
crucified ;  felfifhnefs  and  pride,  with  all  the  evil  pro- 
penfity  which  fprings  from  them,  muft  be  watched 
againft  and  crolTed  ;  for  all  thefe  will  lead  the  Chriftian 
aiide  from  the  right  way,  fo  far  as  they  are  regarded 
and  gratified.  A  ftrong  difpofition  to  felf-dependence, 
and  dependence  on  fome  creature,  in  oppofiticn  to  con- 
ftant  dependence  on  God  alone,  is  implied  in  thefe 
lufts.  And  fo  much  of  this  is  in  the  Chriftian,  that  he 
is  conftantly  expofed  to  fall  by  it,  and  often  does  fo,  in 
a  degree.  When  the  Chriftian  is  in  a  pious  frame,  and 
his  religious  affections  arc  ftrong  and  vigorous,  he  is 
expofed  to  truft  in  his  prefent  difpofition  and  feelings 

for 


l^ERM.    XIV.  OF    THE'  SUBJECr.  239 

for  what  he  hopes  to  will  and  to  do  in  future  ;  ar.d 
when  he  trufts  in  this  as  a  ftock  and  fulliciency  of  his 
own  for  fome  future  work,  he  always  finds  himfelf  dif- 
appointed,  and  fails  of  willing  and  doing  as  he  expect- 
ed, becaufe,  in  proportion  to  his-  thus  trufting  to  him- 
felf, his  heart  departed  from  the  Lord,  and  in  a  degree 
forgot  that  he  depended  every  moment  on  God,  ta 
work  in  him  to  will  and  to  do.  Would  the  Chriftian 
work  out  his  own  falvation,  he  muft  watch  and  pray 
againft  felf-dependence,  in  this  way,  or  in  any  other. 
If  he  trufts  in  any  degree  to  minifters,  books,  the  Bible, 
or  any  means,  or  fpecial  religious  advantages,  that  thefe 
will  help  him  in  any  meafure,  independent  of  the  di- 
vine, immediate  operation,  working  in  him  every  right 
motion  of  heart,  he  gets  fo  far  out  of  the  way,  and  can- 
not come  right  till  he  repent  of  his  folly.  Peter  trufted 
to  liis  own  prefent  feelings,  and  was  felf-confident, 
when  he  faid  to  Chrift,  "  Though  all  men  fliall  be  of- 
fended becaufe  of  thee,  yet  will  I  never  be  offended  : 
Though  I  (hould  die  with  thee,  yet  will  I  not  deny  thee  : 
I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  fake  :'*  {_Matth.  xxvi. 
53,  ^iS'  J^^^n  2:iii.  37.]  Trufting  to  himfelf,  he  fell 
from  his  own  ftedfaftncfs,  and  could  not  be  recovered 
without  deep  and  bitter  repentance.  Let  all  be  hence 
warned  not  to  be  high-minded,  but  fear  ;  and  let  him 
who  iliinketh  he  ftandeth,  take  heed  left  he  fall.  When 
the  Chriftian  is  weak,  fears  and  trembles  in  a  fenfe  of 
his  own  infufliciency,  and  feels  his  dependence  on  God 
conftantiy  to  work  in  him  to  will  and  do,  then  is  he 
ftrong  to  run  the  race  which  is  fet  before  him,  and  work 
out  his  own  falvation. 

To  what  has  been  faid,  the  following  particulars  may 
be  added  as  motives  to  engage  in  and  purfue  this 
work. 

I.  Confider  how  great  this  work  is.  There  is  none 
equal  to  it,  or  to  be  compared  with  it.  It  is  to  over- 
come felf,  iin  and  Satan,  even  all  the  powers  of  darknefs  ; 
principalities  and  powers,  rulers  of  the  darknefs  of  this 
world,  fpiritual  wickcdnefs  in  high  places.  Nothing  Ihorc 

of 


240  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SlRM,    XIV^ 

of  Omnipotence  can  ftrengtlien  you  to  petform  it,  even 
the  mighty  power  of  God,  which  he  vvTought  in  Chriil» 
when  he  railed  him  from  the  dead,  and  fet  him  at  his  own 
right-hand,  far  above  all  principahty,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion.  At  the  fame  time  that  the  con- 
fideration  of  the  greatnefs  of  this  work  leads  to  fear  and 
tremble,  to  feel  our  own  Infufliciency,  and  to  truft  in 
God  alone  for  a  will  and  ftrength  to  do  it,  it  ferves  as  a 
mighty  motive  to  defire  to  engage  in  it  and  go  through, 
by  the  power  and  grace  of  Chrift.  The  motive  is  great 
and  ftrong  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work 
before  us. 

2.  Confider  the  confeqnence  of  neglecling  this  work, 
or  performing  it.  The  confequence  of  the  former  is,  to 
perilh  forever  ;  for  none  can  be  faved  but  thofe  who  in 
this  way  overcome.  The  confequence  of  the  latter  is,  to 
fit  down  with  Chrifc  on  his  throne,  and  reign  with  him 
forever. 

3.  Confider  the  abundant  encouragement,  and  innu- 
merable great  and  precious  promifes,  which  Chriftians" 
have  to  ftrengthen  and  animate  them  in  this  work,  and 
to  truft  in  Chrift  to  carry  them  through.  They  who 
truft  in  the  Lord  fliali  be  as  Mount  Zion,  which  cannot 
be  moved  ;  they  ihall  renev/  their  ftrength  ;  ftiall  mount 
up  with  wings  as  eagles  ;  they  fhall  run  and  not  be  wea- 
ry, and.  they  fliall  walk  and  not  faint. 

4.  Confider  the  pleafure  and  happinefs  there  is  in 
working  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling. It  is  not  a  flavifli,  ferviie  work.  There  is  plea- 
fure in  this  fear  and  trembling,  which  is  nothing  more 
than  true  humiUty  and  truft  in  God.  No  man  knows 
what  true  happinefs  is,  who  is  not  cordially  engaged  in 
tJiis  work.  And  he  who  is  thus  working  out  his  own 
falvation  has  true  pleafure  and  happinefs  in  his  work. 
He  has  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  and  is  going  on  to 
complete,  everiafting  reft  and  joy  in  the  kingdom  of 
Chrift. 

This  fubjecl  will  be  concluded  with  an  addrefs  to  fm- 
ncrs  who  neglect  the  great  falvation,  ■    .     • 

The 


SeRM.    XIV.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  24I 

The  words  of  the  text  are  not  directly  and  immedi- 
ately addreiled  to  you  ;  yet  they  contain  matter  of  in- 
ilruclion,  convidion,  admonition  and  exhortation  to 
you  ;  to  which  it  is  of  the  greateil  importance  that  you 
iliould  attend. 

You  are  here  taught  your  fmful,  depraved,  tmdone 
ftate  ;  that  you  are  lb  under  the  dominion  of  evil  pro- 
penfities,  that  you  will  not  be  perfuatied  and  difpofed  to 
exercife  one  right  volition  or  thought,  unleis  God  work 
it  in  you  by  his  good  Spirit ;  to  do  which  he  is  under  no 
obligation,  and  you  are  conftantly  provoking  him  not 
to  do  it,  but  to  give  you  up  to  eternal  deftruction. 
Here  you  have  fet  before  you  your  guilt,  mifer)"^  and 
danger  in  a  mofc  clear  and  affecting  light.  At  the  fame 
time  you  are  taught  that  your  negled:  of  falvaticn,  and 
all  that  moral  depravity,  in  the  exercife  of  v.'hich  you 
are  iinning  againft  Chrift,  and  running  into  ruin,  is 
your  own  inexcufable,  aggravated  wickcdnefs,  of  which 
you  are  continually  guilty,  and  is  enough  to  fink  you 
down  to  the  deepeil:  liell ;  and  will  certainly  do  it,  un- 
iefs  God  Ihail  exercife  fovereign  mercy  to  you,  and  you 
repent  and  turn,  and  are  willing  to  work  out  your  own 
falvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 

And  as  your  oppofition  of  heart  to  this,  and  even  the 
neglect  of  this  falvation,  is  altogether  your  own  fault, 
for  which  you  have  no  excufe,  conhfting  in  your  own 
inclination  and  choice,  heaven  and  all  the  bleiiings  of  it 
are  opened  and  freely  offered  to  your  acceptance,  and 
you  are  invited,  exhorted  and  commanded  to  work  out 
your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  having  a 
promife  that  in  this  way  you  fliail  certainly  be  faved. 

All  this  is  fet  before  you  and  urged  upon  you  in  the 
difcourfes  on  this  fubje^f  which  you  have  heard.  Your 
attention  to  thefe  truths  is  therefore  demanded  by  all 
the  authority  of  heaven.  And  you  are  required  hearti- 
ly to  receive  and  comply  with  them,  and  thus  to  lay 
hold  on  eternal  life,  which  is  now  fet  before  you  and  of- 
fered to  you  as  really  as  to  any  one  elfe.  Therefore  if 
you  perifli,  it  will  be  by  your  cv/n  inexcuiable  and 
X  i  grcady 


54^  AN    iMrROVEMEKT  SeRM.    XIV. 

greatly  aggravated  fault.  Thefe  truths  arc  in  finitely 
important  and  intcrefting  to  you  ;  for  you  will  be  for- 
ever happy  or  mifcrable,  accordingly  as  you  cordially 
embrace  or  reject  them. 

Say  not,  "  I  am  not  elected,  and  therefore  cannot  be 
ilived,  let  me  do  wliat  I  will,  as  the  decrees  of  God  are 
againil  me.**  This  is  horrid  prefumption,  for  you  to 
meddle  with  and  pretend  to  determine  that  which  is 
fecret,  and  aft  upon  it.  Behdes,  it  is  revealed  and  cer- 
tain that  if  you  perifli  you  will  perifh  as  really  and  as 
much  by  your  own  incxcufable  fault,  as  if  there  were 
no  decree  of  God  concerning  you.  This  pica  and  ex- 
€ufe  will  appear  to  be  vain  and  unreafonabie,  when  the 
truth  comes  to  light  ;  and  that  it  proceeded  from  a 
heart  full  of  enmity  againil  God  ;  and  being  filenced  it 
will  ferve  to  a2:Q:ravate  the  deftruclion  of  thofe  who 
make  it.  Oh !  of  what  infmite  importance  then  is  it 
to  you,  that  you  Ihould  w^hoUy  lay  it  alide  before  it  is 
too  late  ! 

Do  not  entertain  the  thouoht  that  vou  cannot  em- 
brace  the  gofpel  and  work  out  your  own  falvation,  and 
imagine  that  this  is  a  good  excufe  for  your  not  doing 
it.  For  this  is  taking  upon  you  the  character  of  the 
llothtul  fervant,  who  thought  to  excufe  himfelf  for 
neglecting  the  right  improvement  of  the  talent  .which 
was  committed  to  him,  by  faying,  "  Lord,  I  knew  thee, 
that  thou  art  an  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  haft  not 
fown,  and  gathering  where  thou  haft  not  ftrawed."  If 
there  ever  was  or  can  be  a  perfon  of  the  character 
which  Jefus  here  defcribcs,  thou  art  the  man,  and  your 
excufe  will  be  turned  againil  you,  and  you  will  meet 
with  the  doom  pronounced  on  fuch  a  fervant  ;  "  Caft 
ye  the  unprofitable  fervant  into  outer  darknefs  :  there 
{hall  be  w'ceping  arci  gnailiing  of  teeth." 

It  is  true  that  yt/u  are  under  an  inability  to  do  any 
thing  by  which  you  Ihall  be  faved,  which  has  been  ex- 
plained as  CDnfifting  in  the  fmful  incHnations  of  your 
own  heart ;  and  you  depend  entirely  on  God  for  a  new 
heart,  and  he  uill  give  fuch  an  heart,  or  not,  according 


SeRM.    XIV.  OF   THE    SUBJECT.  243 

to  his  good  pleafure  ;  and  will  determine  whether  you 
fhall  be  laved  or  not.  But  it  has  been  fully  fliewn  that 
this  kind  of  inability  is  fo  far  from  being  an  excufe  for 
not  doing,  that  it  is  the  very  thing  wherein  the  fmner's 
criminality  and  blame  confift ;  and  to  make  this  an  ex- 
cuie  for  not  doing  implies  a  great  degree  of  ilupidity 
and  perverfenefs,  and  is  replying  againft  God,  in  the 
fame  manner  that  the  flothful  fervant  is  reprefented  to 
do. 

Do  not  give  yourfeives  up  to  iloth  and  indifference  in 
rclitrion,  and  indalgje  voiir  evil  inclinations,  in  nes^ltcf 
of  all  concern  about  the  falvation  of  your  foul,  becaufe 
you  think  this  is  already  determined  by  God,  and  you 
cannot  alter  the  cafe,  therefore  you  will  not  trouble 
yourfelf  about  it.  I'his  is  the  certain  way  to  determine 
tliat  you  never  Ihall  be  faved,  and  are  going  in  the  way 
to  deftruftion  ;  for  this  is  the  certain  way  to  perilh 
forever,  if  you  perlift  in  it,  as  none  can  go  to  heaven  in 
this  carelefs  way. 

<  Beiides,  fuch  a  conclufion  and  pradice  is  mod  un- 
"reafonable,  and  mud  proceed  from  amazing  blindnefs 
and  ftupidity.  It  is  a  difpofition  of  mind  which  is  con- 
demned as  an  evidence  of  the  greateft  ilupidity  and 
fottifhncfs  by  all  who  exercife  any  reafon  and  common 
fenfe,  in  temporal  concerns.  If  a  man  be  accufed  of  a 
capital  crime,  and  is  to  be  tried  in  a  day  or  two,  when 
it  will  be  determined  whether  he  iliall  be  put  to  death 
or  not,  and  fuch  a  man  Ihould  appear  to  be  perfectly 
unconcerned  about  himfelf  and  the  iffue  of  the  cale 
with  i*efpecl  to  him,  who  could  be  found  to  juftify  him 
in  this  ?  Would  not  all  join  to  condemn  him  as  an 
unreafonable  ftupid  man  ?  Or  fliould  a  perfon  be  con- 
demned to  death,  for  fome  crime,  and  the  day  of  his 
execution  be  lixed  ;  could  he  be  perfectly  ujiconcerned 
and  eafy  about  his  cafe  and  fate  even  till  the  moment 
of  execution  came  ?  If  this  were  poliible,  and  fuch  an 
inftance  fliould  be  known,  all  would  cry  out  on  him, 
as  funk  below  the  reafon,  fenfibility  and  feelings  of  a 
man,  being  as  tlioughtlcfs  and  ilupid  as  a  beail.     flow 

much 


244  AN    IMPROVEMENT  SerM.    XIV. 

much  more  unreafonable,  infenfible  and  ftupid  mull  he 
be,  who  is  upon  the  verge  of  eternity,  and  it  muft  foon 
be  determined  whether  he  Ihall  be  unfpeakably  happy, 
or  beyond  all  conception  mii'erable  forever,  and  yet  has 
no  concern  about  the  matter,  but  is  triflings  away  his 
tim.e  in  carelefsnefs  about  his  eternal  intereft,  and  vain 
amufements  !  This  is  an  inftance  of  ilupidity,  fottiilmefs, 
phrenzy  or  madnefs,  v/hich  cannot  be  defcribcd  1 

Do  not  therefore  give  way  to  luch  unreafonablenefs, 
ftupidity  and  infatuation,  as  to  fpend  your  time  and 
ftrength  in  care  and  exertions  about  temporal  things, 
while  you  neglect  the  utmo'ft,  conftant  attention  to,  and 
higlieft  concern  about,  thofe  iniinitely  im.portant  and 
weighty  matters,  which  hang  upon  every  moment  of 
your  lives. 

Do  not  entertain  fo  good  an  opinion  of  yourfelves  as 
to  think  vou  are  willing-  to  be  Chrifdans,  and  that  the 
reafon  why  you  are  not,  is  not  the  want  of  a  willingnefs 
to  embrace  the  gofpel,  and  becaufe  you  will  not  come  to- 
Chrift  for  falvation  ;  but  from  fome  other  caufe,  for 
which  you  are  not  blameable. 

Many  who  are  under  fome  concern  about  the  falva- 
tion of  their  fouls,  fall  into  this  delufion,  and  think  they 
nre  willing  to  come  to  Chrift  and  be  Chriftians  if  Chrill 
were  willing  to  receive  them.  Such  are  ignorant  of 
their  own  hearts,  and  iiave  no  true  idea  of  that  which  is 
implied  in  being  a  Cihriftian  ;  and  really  charge  Jefus 
Chrill  and  the  gofpel  with  falfehood ;  for  in  that  he  de- 
clares that  whofoever  will  may  come  and  be  faved.  In 
this  way  they  overlook  the  true  reafon  why  they  are 
not  Chrifdans,  and  fhut  their  eyes  to  their  own  true 
character,  guilt  and  odioufnefs.  It  is  of  the  greateft 
importance  that  this  delufion  fhould  be  removed. 

Do  not  attem.pt  to  e-vade  all  conviction  of  the  truth,. 
and  concern  about  your  falvation,  by  flattering  your- 
felves  that  you  are  in  no  prefent  danger  of  deftrucfion, 
and  you  ihall  have  time  enough  hereafter  to  obtain  fal- 
vation, though  you  negiecT:  it  now.  Remember  that 
you  have  no  fecurity  from  falling  into  hell  one  moment  5 

and 


SfiRM.    XIV.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  "  «45 

and  the  voice  of  God  and  of  reafon  to  you  is,  "  Make 
hafte  !     Efcape  for  thy  Hfe,  left  thou  be  deilroycd  !" 

And  do  not  indulge  a  thought  of  your  own  fuffi- 
ciency  and  moral  ftrength  to  work  out  your  own  falva- 
tion,  unlefs  God  work  in  you  to  will  and  do.  Many 
are  fo  ignorant  of  themfelves,  and  of  the  work  of  a  Clirif- 
tian,  as  to  imagine  they  are  fufEcient  to  begin  and  go 
through  the  work,  without  feeling  their  dependence  on 
God.  And  they  think  they  are  truly  religious,  and 
working  out  their  own  falvation,  while  they  are  only 
gratifying  their  own  felfrllmefs  and  pride,  and  arc  in 
the  fight  of  God  abominable  and  difobedient,  and  unto 
every  good  work  reprobate. 

There  are  others  who  are  fo  confident  of  their  owA 
independent  fufiiciency  to  help  and  fave  them  lei  vesy 
when  they  ihail  fet  about  it  in  earneft,  that  by  this  con- 
fidence in  themfelves  they  are  led  to  indulge  in  neglect 
of  religion,  and  carnal  fecurity,  for  the  preient ;  and  by 
this  delulion  many  are  fattened  down  in  lioth  and  neg- 
lect of  their  fouls  till  it  is  eternally  too  late.  Could  they 
be  perfuaded  to  try  their  fuppofed  ftrength  in  earneft, 
there  would  be  hope  that  they  would  be  convinced  of 
their  delufion  ;  as  many  have  been  in  this  way  thorough- 
ly convinced  and  humbled.  But  fo  long  as  they  canr 
not  be  awakened  and  roufed  to  try  their  boafted 
ftrength,  they  are  like  to  remain  in  the  fatal  delufion. 

It  is  of  infinite  im.portance  to  you  that  you  do  not, 
on  the  one  hand,  preiume  upon  our  own  ftrength  and 
fufficiency  to  v/ork  out  your  own  falvation,  and,  truft- 
ing  in  yourfelves  that  you  are  righteous,  depend  upon 
obtaining  falvation  by  your  own  righteoufnefs,  or,  on 
this  prefumption  of  your  own  fufticiency,  live  in  eafe 
and  fecurity,  at  prefent,  in  the  indulgence  of  your  own 
corrupt  inclinations,  depending  on  yourfelves  for  ftrength 
and  help  when  it  fhall  be  neceflary  for  you  to  be  re- 
ligious to  efcape  deftruction  ;  or  that  you  do  not,  on 
the  other  hand,  live  in  eafc  and  the  neglect  of  falvation, 
from  the  conftderation  of  your  depravity  and  inability 
to  fave  yourfelves,  and  your  dependence  on  God  for 

this. 


^4^  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS  SeRM.    XW 

this,  imagining  that  this  takes  away  all  obligation  and 
encouragement  to  embrace  the  gofpel  and  work  out 
your  own  falvation.  Both  of  thefe  delufions  equally 
lead  to  dellruclion. 

May  you  realize  the  infinitely  evil  and  dangerous  ftatc 
in  which  you  arc,  and  be  excited  to  fiy  from  the  wrath 
to  come,  by  laying  hold  of  the  hope  fet  before  you, 
knowing  that  falvation  is  freely  offered  to  you,  and 
heaven  ftands  open  for  you,  and  you  are  invited  to  run 
for  this  prize,  having  at  the  fame  time  the  offer  and 
promifc  of  the  Koly  Spirit,  and  of  all  the  affiftance  you 
want,  if  you  will  lo  £u-  truft  in  God  as  to  alii  him  for 
ail  this.     O  fmners,  whv  will  ve  die  ! 


Sermon  XV. 


WRITTEN    IN    THE    YEAR     1 8oC. 


Romans  iii.   27.     JVhere  is   boafting  then  ?    It  is  excluded. 
By  what  laiv  ?    Of  works  ^    Nay  ;    but   by  the  law  of 
faith, 

*H1h  Apoftle  Paul  does  in  this  epiftle  particularly 
ftate  and  explain  the  way  in  which  fmners  may 
obtain  the  favour  of  God,  and  eternal  falvation,  which 
is  opened  by  the  gofpel.  There  are  but  two  polfible 
M'ays  of  obtaining  the  favour  of  God  and  eternal  life, 
which  he  mentions,  viz.  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or 
obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  and  by  faith  in  Jefus 
Chrift.  The  former  way  he  fays  is  impofjlble  to  finners, 
and  if  it  were  poilible,  it  would  be  highly  improper^ 
and  attended  with  evil  confequcnces.  Having  proved 
that  all  men  arc  fmners  and  guilty  before  God,  he  fays, 
""  Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  lliail  no  flelli 
be  juiliii<?d  in  his  light :  for  by  the  law  v^  the  knowledge 

of 


SjSRiM.    XV.         AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  24/ 

of  fin.  Becaiifc  the  law  worketh  wrath  ;  and  the  falva- 
tion  of  finncrs  is  not  of  works,  left  any  man  fhouid 
boaft."  The  latter  therefore  he  cftablifhcs  as  the  only 
proper,  wife  and  pofllble  way  in  which  linncrs  may  be 
juftihed  and  faved,  and  fays,  "  Therefore  we  conclude 
that  a  man  is  juftilied  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the 
law  :  and  it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by  grace,  by 
which  boafting  is  wholly  excluded." 

In  attending  to  thefe  words  of  the  text,  it  will  be  at- 
tempted to  explain  them  by  fliowing  what  is  meant  by 
the  law  of  works,  and  what  by  the  law  of  faith,  and 
why  boafting  is  excluded,  not  by  the  former,  but  by  the 
latter  ;  and  then  improve  the  fubject  in  fome  ufcful  re- 
marks and  inferences  from  it. 

By  the  law  of  works  is  meant  the  original  law  or  con- 
ftitution,  which  requires  perfect,  perfevcring  obedience, 
in  order  to  have  and  continue  to  enjoy  the  favour  and 
bleffing  of  God,  and  which  pronoimces  him  accurfed 
who  is  guilty  of  difobedience  in  one  and  the  ieaft  poUi- 
bie  inftance.  This  law  every  rational  creature  is  under 
obligation  to  obey.  The  holy  angels  were  made  under 
this  law,  and,  by  a  linlels,  pertccl  obedience  to  it,  during 
the  whole  time  of  their  probation,  they  have  obtained 
and  enjoy  the  divine  approbation,  and  tlie  reward  of 
eternal  life.  This  is  the  conftitution  under  which  Adam 
and  all  his  pofterity  were  made  ;  this  is  the  law  of  ivorks. 
Had  the  father  of  the  human  race  continued  perfectly 
to  obey  this  law  to  the  end  of  his  time  of  trial,  he 
would  by  thefe  his  works  have  obtained  eternal  life  for 
himfelf  and  his  children  too  ;  but,  by  tranfgrefling  this 
law  of  works,  he  fell  under  the  curfe  of  it,  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  ruin  of  all  his  children,  by  their  falling 
into  the  fame  ftate,  as  their  finning  was,  by  divine  con- 
ftitution, connected  with  his  tranfgrellion. 

And  many  of  the  finfal  children  of  Adam  have  and 
do,  through  their  pride  and  ignorance  of  themfelves, 
and  of  the  nature,  extent  and  defign  of  the  divine  law, 
leek  and  attempt  to  become  righteous,  and  obtain  par- 
don and  lalvation,  by  the  works  of  the  law — their  own 

obedience. 


248  THE    L.AW    OF    WORKS  SeRM.    XV. 

obedience.  ?4oft  of  the  Jews  did  fo  in  the  days  of  the 
Apollles.  They. fought  righteoufnefs  as  it  M^ere  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  and  went  about  to  eftabhfh  their  own 
righteoufnefs  ;  and  in  this  way  they  failed  of  obtaining 
righteoufnefs,  and  remained  as  much  under  the  curfe  of 
this  law  of  works  as  if  they  had  attempted  no  obedience 
to  it :  for  all  who  in  this  way  are  of  the  works  of  the 
law,  are  under  the  curfe  of  it ;  for  it  is  written,  Curfed 
is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  the  things  which 
are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  This 
way  to  life  is  forever  fhut  againil  all  the  fons  of  Adam  ; 
for  they  have  all  tranfgreiled  it,  and  by  this  have  ren- 
dered it  forever  impoffible  to  obtain  the  righteoufnefs 
of  it  by  their  own  works  and  obedience.  It  is  natural, 
however,  for  fallen  man.  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  to 
feek  a  righteoufnefs  by  their  obedience  to  this  law,  anci 
to  gratify""  their  pride  and  difpofition  to  truft  and  boaft 
in  themfelves  and  their  own  righteoufnefs  ;  and  num- 
bers beyond  our  calculation  in  the  Chriftian  \'i'orld  have 
taken  and  are  ftill  taking  this  fure  road  to  deftruction, 
rather  than  to  give  up  and  renounce  that  boa/ling,  which 
muft  be  effectually  deftroyed  in  order  to  embrace  the 
gofpel. 

By  the  law  of  fiith,  is  meant  the  gofpel  inflltution 
and  difpenfation,  in  which  provifion  is  made  for  the 
pardon,  juftification  and  falvation  of  finners  who  are 
under  the  condemnation  and  curfe  of  the  law  ;  not  by 
any  works  of  righteoufnefs  wliich  they  have  done  or 
can  do,  to  take  off  the  curfe  of  the  law,  or  to  recom- 
mend themfelves  to  this  favour  and  bleffnig,  but  purely 
on  the  account  of  the  atonement,  righteoufnefs  and 
worthinefs  of  Chrift,  in  which  they  become  interefted 
fo  as  to  avail,  on  their  behalf,  to  deliver  from  all  the 
evil  they  deferve,  and  procure  all  the  good  they  want, 
hy  faith  in  him,  or  believing  on  his  name. 

It  being  of  great  importance  that  all  fiiould  have  right 
and  clear  conceptions  of  this  fubjecl,  it  is  proper  and 
ufeful  to  give  a  more  particular  defcription  of  thefe  two 
laws,  the  law  of  "s^'ork's  and  the  law  of  faith.     This  may 

be 


SeRM.    XVk         AND    THE    LAW   OF    FAITH.  249 

be  done  to  the  beft  advantage,  perhaps,  by  confidcring 
wherein  they  agree  with  each  other,  and  in  what  re- 
fpects  there  is  a  difference  and  oppofition  of  one  to  the 
other  ;  and  how  not  the  former,  but  the  latter,  excludes 
boafting. 

Firji.  It  is  to  be  confidered  and  fliewn  wherein  there 
IS  an  agreement  between  thefe  two  laws,  and  what  is  as 
true  of  one  as  of  the  other,  and  is  common  to  them 
both. 

I.  Holinefs  or  obedience  is  necelTarily  implied  and 
exercifed  in  compliance  with  each  and  either  of  thefe 
laws,  and  in  order  to  be  interefted  in  the  promifes  and 
bleflings  vthich  they  contain. 

The  law  of  works  requires  perfect  and  perfevering 
holinefs  and  obedience,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  bleflings 
of  it.  The  lelft  fm  cuts  a  perfon  off  from  all  the  pro- 
mifed  good  of  this  law,  and  fubjeds  him  to  the  curfe  of 
it,  without  any  pofUble  remedy  by  that  law,  as  has  been 
before  obferved. 

And  a  compliance  with  the  law  of  faith,  or  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  which  is  the  fame,  implies  holy  exercife 
or  true  obedience ;  and  this  is  abfolutely  necefTary  in 
order  to  be  interefted  in  tne  promifes  and  blefhngs  of 
this  law  and  covenant. 

That  faith  from  which  this  law  or  covenant  has  its 
denomination,  and  in  the  exercife  of  which  this  law  is 
complied  with  and  fulfilled,  and  to  which  all  the  pro- 
mifes it  contains  are  made,  implies  holinefs  of  heart, 
and  is  itfelf  a  holy  exercife.  This  being  an  important 
point,  and  denied  by  many,  fo  much  evidence  of  it 
from  fcripture  and  reafon  vv'ill  here  be  produced,  as  it  is 
hoped  will  be  fufHcient  to  eftablifh  the  truth  of  it  to  the 
conviclion  of  every  unprejudiced  mind. 

That  taith  which  difcerns  and  believes  the  truth  of 
the  gofpel  from  a  view  of  the  moral  excellence  and  wlf- 
dom  of  it,"-  and  fees  the  character  of  Chrift  to  be  divine- 
ly excellent  and  beautiful,  is  not  a  mere  fpeculative 
faith,  confined  to  the  underftanding,  exclufive  of  tafte 
and  exercife  of  heart,  and  cordial  approbation.  Moral 
K  k  excellence 


250  tHE    LAW    OF    WO-RKS  SeRM.    XV. 

cxcellerxc  and  beauty  is  not,  and  cannot  be,  the  objeft 
of  mere  intellect,  as  diftinguilhed  from  taile  and  difcern- 
ing  of  heart  -,  therefore  a  real  fight  of  moral  excellence 
and  beauty,  or  lovelinefs,  neceflarily  implies  love  of  that 
excellence  and  beanty,  and  thefe  cannot  be  diftinguiflied 
or  feparated  one  from  the  other  j  for  they  are  really  one. 
and  the  fame  thing.  Hence  it  is  demonftrably  certain, 
that  the  faith  which  difcerns  the  gofpel  to  be  true  and 
excellent,  or  that  internal  evidence  which  renders  it 
moll  worthy  of  belief,  implies  a  difcerning,  t aft e  and 
relifh  of  divine  excellence  and  beauty,  which  h  a  virtu- 
ous difpoiltion  and  exercife  of  heart ;  and  is  real  holi- 
ncfs  of  heart,  if  there  be  in  nature  any  fuch  thing. 

But  that  faving  faith  implies  and  efientialiy  confifts 
in  a  holy  exercife  of  heart,  in  embracing  the  gofpel  as 
excellent  and  holy,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  a  cor- 
dial approbation  of  Chrift  and  his  character,  and  truft- 
ing  in  him,  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  fcripture, 
as  well  as  from  the  reafon  and  nature  of  the  cafe. 

The  following  palTages,  among  many  others  which 
might  be  mentioned,  afford  an  undeniable  proof  of  thisl 

Believing  on  Chrift  and  receiving  him  is  mentioned 
as  one  and  the  fame.  "  But  as  many  as  received  him, 
to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  fons  of  God,  even 
to  them  that  believe  on  his  name/'  Coming  to  Chrift 
and  believing  on  him  is  mentioned  as  the  fame  things 
"  Jefus  ftood  and  cried,  faying.  If  any  man  thirft,  let 
him  come  unto,  me  and  drink.  He  that  helievetb  on  me,. 
as  the  fcripture  hath  faid,  out  of  his  belly  ftiall  flow 
living  waters."  Receiving  Chrift  and  coming  to  hinv 
are  holy  exercifes  of  heart  j  for  the  characfter  of  Chrift 
is  fo  perfectly  holy,  that  it  is  impoftible  that  an  unholy 
heart  fliould  be  'pieafed  with  it ;  and  none  can  cordially 
come  to  him  and  receive  him  but  in  the  exercife  of  ho- 
ly love  to  him.  Chrift  faid  to  the  Jews,  "  Tiiis  is  the 
work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath 
fcnt ;"  and  proceeds  to  fpeak  of  coming  to  him,  and 
-sating  his  flefh  and  drinking  his  blood,  as  being  the 
iime  with  believing  on  him  :  [_Jolm  vi.  29 — 58.]    He 

faid 


SeRM.    XV.'        AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  25!  : 

faid  to  the  Jews,  "  I  know  you,  that  ye  have  not  the 
love  of  God  in  you;**  and  then  proceeds  to  tell  them 
that  this  was  tlie  only  reafon  why  they  believed  not  on 
him,  and  did  not  receive  him :  "  How  can  ye  believe 
who  receive  honour  one  of  another,  and  feck  not  the 
honour  that  conieth  from  God  only  ?'*  In  thcfe  words 
it  is  afferted  that  none  can  believe  on  him  unlefs  his 
heart  be  friendly  to  God  and  to  him  ;  and  that  it  is  irft-^ 
poflible  that  any  one  fhould  i)elieve  on  Chrrft  who  is  an 
impenitent  enemy  of  God  ;  which  could  not  be  true,  if 
faith  did  not  imply  holy  exercifes  of  heart :  [^Jobn  v.  40, 
44.]]  That  faith  in,  Chrift  implies  holinefs  of  heart,  and 
is  a  holy  exercifc,  is  afferted  by  Chrifl  in  his  difcourfe 
with  Nicodemus ;  [^John  iii.  18 — 21:]  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  is  not  condemned  ;  but  he  tliat  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already.  And  this  is  the  con- 
demnation, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men 
have  loved  darknefs  rather  than  light,  becaufe  their 
deeds  were  evil ;  for  every  one  that  doth  evil  hateth 
the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  left  his  deeds 
Hiould  be  reproved.  But  he  that  doth  truth  cometh  to 
the  light."  If  every  one  that  doth  evil,  hateth  the  light, 
and  will  not  come  to  it,  and  loves  darknefs  rather  than 
light,  is  condemned,  and  he  that  believeth  on  Chrift  is 
not  condemned  ;  then  believing  is  coming  to  the  light, 
and  loving  it,  or  receiving  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it, 
and  doing  the  truth,  or  conforming  to  and  pradtifmg 
It,  in  which  holinefs  confifts.  Surely  nothing  can  be 
plainer  and  more  ftrongly  afferted  than  this  is  in  thefe 
words. 

Believing  on  Chrift  is  commanded  as  a  duty,  and 
therefore  m.uft  be  an  exercife  of  the  heart,  and  an  holy 
cxercife  ;  for  nothing  can  be  the  fubject  of  command 
but  the  heart  or  will,  and  nothing  was  ever  com.mand- 
ed  by  God  but  holinefs,  and  nothing  elfe  can  be  duty. 
Chrift  preached,  faying,. "  Repent  and  believe  the  gofpelJ'* 
He  faid  to  his  difciplcs,  "  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  alfo 
in  w/^."  He  faid  to  the  Jews,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  yc  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  fent.     The  apoftle 

John 


2^2  THE    LAW   OF    WORKS  .  SeRM.    XV. 

John  fays,  "  This  is  his  coinmandment,  that  we  fhould 
beUeve  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jefus  Chrift.'*  There- 
fore believing  on  Chrift  is  called  "  the  obedience  of  faith,** 
and  obeying  Chriit  is  the  fame  with  believing  on  him. 
"  And  being  made  perfect  he  became  the  author  of  eter- 
nal falvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  The  apoftle 
Paul  obferves,  that  the  juft  /Ives  by  his  faith  ;  and  fays, 
**  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  If  faith  was 
that  by  which  he  lived,  it  was  his  fpiritual,  Chriftian  life, 
which  certainly  is  Chriftian  holinefs.  He  therefore  fays, 
*'  Faith  worketh  by  love."  Love  is  the  fum  of  true 
holinefs,  but  this  is  the  efhcacious,  operative  nature  and 
life  of  faith,  fo  that  the  faith  is  wholly  dead  and  inac- 
tive, the  lite  and  aftive  nature  of  which  is  not  love. 

The  apoftle  Paul  lays,  "  Abraham  was  ftrong  in  faith, 
giving  glory  to  God."  If  faith  be  not  friendly  to  God, 
to  the  divine  characler,  it  does  not,  it  cannot,  give  any 
glory  to  God,  however  ftrong  it  may  be  ;  but  friendfliip 
to  God  is  true  love  to  God,  and  is  a  holy  exercife  of 
heart.  Accordingly  the  apoftle  James,  fpeaking  of 
Abraham  believing  God,  fays,  "  By  this  he  obtained  the 
charader  of  the  friend  of  God."  If  there  were  no  love  or 
holinefs  in  faving  faith,  then  an  impenitent  enemy  of 
God  might  have  as  much  of  it,  and  be  as  ftrong  in  faith,, 
as  Abraham  or  any  other  man,  and  that  too  without  any 
true  difcerning  or  ftght  of  the  true  character  of  Chrift, and 
fpiritual  things.  "  For  every  one  that  doth  evil  hateth 
the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light ;"  which  is  true  of 
every  impenitent,  unregenerate  perfon.  "  The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  fooliftmefs  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them, 
becaufe  they  are  fpiritually  difcerned."  Therefore, 
whofoever  believeth  that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift,  or  has  fav- 
ing faith,  is  born  of  God;  has  a  new  and  holy  heart 
given  him  of  God  ;  for  with  fuch  a  heart  the  fpiritual 
man  difcerneth  fpiritual  things,  and  believeth  unto  righ-i 
teoufncfs. 

Much  more  evidence  might  be  produced  from  fcrip.. 
ture  to  prove  that  faving  faith  is  real  gofpel  holinefs ; 

but 


....  (.. 

SeRM.    XV.  AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  253 

but  as  what  has  already  been  fald  on  this  point  does 
make  it  fufficiently  clear,  it  is  needlefs  to  add  any 
more  proof  that,  according  to  the  law  of  fliith,  holinefs 
is  as  necefTary  in  order  to  an  intereft  in  the  promifes 
and  bleflings  of  it,  as  it  is  according  to  the  law  of  works  j 
which  is  the  proportion  propofed  to  be  proved. 

2.  The  holinefs  which  is  neceflary  in  a  compliance 
with  the  law  of  works  and  the  law  of  faith,  confills  in 
conformity  to  the  fame  law  or  rule  of  duty.  It  is  tiiere- 
fore  the  fame  kind  of  holinefs,  as  there  is  but  one  law 
-and  rule  of  holinefs.  All  holinefs  confifts  in  love  to  God 
and  our  neighbours,  which,  though  expreffcd  in  different 
words,  and  exercifed  in  a  different  manner  and  circum- 
ftances,  and  to  anfwer  different  purpofes,  yet  it  is  eflen- 
tially  one  and  the  fame  thing,  and  is  conformity  and  obe- 
dience to  the  fame  law. 

Secondly.  It  is  to  be  confidered  wherein  thefe  two  laws 
differ,  and  are  oppofed  to  each  other. 

This  may  be  Itated  and  explained  in  the  following  par- 
ticulars. 

I .  According  to  the  law  of  works,  the  perfectly  holy 
and  obedient  offer  to  God  their  holinefs  and  works  of 
obedience  as  the  price  of  the  favour  and  acceptance  of 
God,  and  the  reafon  of  their  having  his  approbation  and 
rewards,  and  God  accepts  and  rewards  them  out  of  re- 
fpeCl  to  their  obedience  and  good  works,  as  a  teflimony 
of  his  love  of  holinefs,  and  pleafure  in  their  obedience  ta 
him.  Thus  the  holy  angels  were  juftified  by  their  works. 
Their  perfect  holinefs  and  obedience  was  the  price  of  the 
favour  they  obtained  of  God.  They  trufted  in  their  own 
righteoufnefs  to  recommend  them  to  God's  acceptance, 
and  the  benefits  of  juflification  and  eternal  life  ;  and,  in 
beflowing  thefe  upon  them,  God  teflificd  his  approbation 
of  their  character  and  works. 

The  law  of  faith  is  direftly  the  reverfe  of  this.  It  opens 
a  way  for  the  pardon,  juiHfication  and  eternal  hfe  of 
SINNERS,  who  have  fallen  under  the  curfe  of  the  law,  and 
are  forever  cut  off  from  a  poflibility  of  being  juftified  by 
the  law  of  works.     According  to  the  law  of'  faith,  fni- 

ners 


I 

254.  THE,  LAW   0¥    WORKS  SeRM.    XV. 

ners  are  pardoned  and  juftified  by  the  atonement,  righte- 
oufnefs  and  merit  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  hoHnefs  which 
they  exercife  is  fo  far  from  recommending  them  to  the 
leaft  favour  On  account  of  their  moral  worth  and  excel- 
lence, that  it  wholly  confiils  in  what  is  implied  in  rcceiv- 
i7ig  thefe  blelTmgs  and  all  they  want  as  ^  free  gift  to  the 
infinitely  guiky  and  ill-deierving,  without  money  or 
price,  from  the  hands  of  an  infinitely  gracious  and  boun- 
tiful bencfacTor. 

By  faith  the  finner  comes  to  Chrift  for  all  he  wants, 
fenfible  that  by  fin  he  has  und(.)ne  himfelf,  and  may  juiily 
be  call:  off  by  God  into  eternal  deilruclion  ;  he  confeiTes 
his  fins  and  ill  defert,  and  heartily  approves  of  the  law  of 
God,  which  condemns  and  curfes  him,  as  juil,  good  and 
excellent,  worthy  to  be  maintained  and  honoured.  He 
highly  approves  of  the  chara<5ler  of  Chrift,  in  fceking 
and  promoting  the  honour  of  God,  by  vindicating  and 
honourinsf  the  law  which  finners  had  tranffcrefied  and 
trampled  under  foot,  by  fuff'ering  the  curfe  of  it  hmifelf, 
in  dying  on  the  crofs,  and  obeying  it  perfectly.  He  is 
pleafed  with  tiie  way  of  falvation  by  Chrift,  in  which  the 
linner  is  humbled  and  faved  by  free  grace,  and  not  by 
works  of  righteoufnefs  which  he  has  done  or  can  do  ; 
and  he  is  greatly  pleafed  with  the  deliverance  from  all 
fin,  and  that  perfect  holinefs  which  Chrift  will  beftow  on 
all  who  believe  in  him  ;  and  he  is  fatisfied  with  that 
heaven  and  happinefs,  that  glorious  immortality,  which 
Chrift  has  brought  to  light,  and  will  caufe  all  believers 
fully  and  eternally  to  poflefs,  as  his  purchafe  and  free  gift 
to  them,  though  in  themfelves  infinitely  unworthy  and 
ill-deferving.  Thus  the  believer  comes  to  Chrift  as  the 
apoftle  Paul  did,  defiring  not  to  be  found  in  his  own 
righteoufnefs,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  the  faith  of  Chrift,  the  righteoufnefs  which  is 
of  God  by  faith. 

This  is  the  great,  capital  and  moft  ftriking  diiference 
and  oppofition  between  the  law  of  works  and  the  law  of 
faith,  which,  it'  is  prefumed,  will  be  clearly  underftood 
by  every  judicious,  attentive  perfon,  and  appear  to  be  of 
^'eat  importance  to  be  made  and  always  kept  in  mind. 

It 


SeRM.    XV.  AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  255 

It  may  be  ufeful,  however,  to  fome,  farther  to  e^tplain 
and  illuftrate  this  intcrefting  and  important  point  by  t!ie 
parable  of  the  elder  fon  and  the  prodigal.  The  latter  hav- 
ing rendered  himfclf  guilty,  odious  and  wretched,  by 
leaving  his  father's  houfe,  and  foolifli  condud,  when  hi;; 
eyes  were  opened,  and  he  faw  how  guilty,  wretched  and 
undone  he  was,  and  that  all  he  wanted  for  his  reUef  was 
to  be  had  in  his  father's  houfe,  he  determined  to  go 
and  caft  himfelf  upon  the  goodnefs  and  mercy  of  his 
father,  confeiTmg  his  folly  and  fm  in  abufmg  his  father 
and  leaving  his  houfe,  and  his  utter  unworthinefs  of  the 
leaft  favour.  In  this,  and  in  receiving  all  he  wanted 
from  the  free,  uncieferved  kindnefs  of  his  parent,  was  ex- 
ercifed  and  expreffed  as  real  love  to  him  and  his  family, 
as  liis  elder  brother  had  done,  if  he  were  as  good  and 
obedient  as  he  reprefented  himfelf  to  be.  The  latter  re- 
commended himfclf  to  his  father's  approbation  and  fa«- 
vour  by  his  conftant  obedience  and  good  deeds  :  tlie  pro- 
digal vv^s  covered  with  fhameful  guilt,  unworthinefs 
and  ill  defert,  and  humbly  and  gladly  receives  all  that 
is  beftowed  upon  him  as  a  free  gift  to  an  unworthy  crea- 
ture, who  might  juftly  have  been  left  to  perilh  without 
the  leaft  relief,  having  nothing  to  recommend  him  to 
favour,  but  every  thing  to  the  contrary.  The  one 
brings  and  offers  his  works  of  obedience  as  the  reafon 
why  he  ftiould  be  favoured  and  rewarded,  or  as  the 
price  by  which  he  had  purchafed  the  bleffings  he  deiired 
and  expected ;  the  other  has  nothing  but  fliame,  guilt 
and  wretchednefs,  and  feeks  and  accepts  of  his  father's 
kindnefs  in  receiving  him  to  his  favour,  and  all  the  pri- 
vileges, enjoyments  and  honours  of  his  family,  as  a  free 
gift  to  a  moft  lU-deferving  fon,  who  could  make  no  com- 
penfation  for  the  injury  he  had  done.  But  in  his  friend- 
ly thought  he  had  of  his  father,  in  his  returning  hence 
to  him,  confefTmg  his  fin  and  unworthinefs  of  any  fa- 
vour, and  cordial  acceptance  of  offered  mercy,  and  glad- 
ly coming  into  his  father's  houfe  and  family,  he  exercifed 
as  real  love  and  friendfhip  to  his  parent  and  his  famib/, 
and  to  the  laws,  bufmefs  and  enjoyments  of  his  houie, 

as 


^25^  tUe  lau-  of  works  Serm.  XV* 

as  did  the  eldef  fon  :  and  yet  their  love  and  friendftiip 
was  cxercifcd  and  exprefled  in  very  different  and  oppo- 
iite  ways,  according  to  their  different  and  oppofite  Hate 
and  circumftances. 

But  the  difference  and  oppofition  between  thefe  two 
laws  of  works  and  faith  in  other  refpeds,  which  are  im- 
plied in  or  do  arife  from  that  already  mentioned,  though 
not  fo  great  and  impoftant,  yet  muft  be  noticed,  as 
neceilary  in  order  fully  to  underfland  the  fubject  to 
which  we  are  attending. 

2.  None  can  be  juftilied  and  obtain  eternal  life  by  the 
law  of  works,  unlefs  he  is  perfectly  obedient  and  holy, 
without  the  leaft  fm  or  defect. 

But  by  the  law  of  faith  the  leaft  degree  of  holinefs  ex- 
ercifed  by  a  fmner,  in  believing  in  Chrifl,  and  coming 
to  him,  and  trufting  in  him  for  pardon  and  falvation, 
obtains  juftification  and  the  promife  of  eternal  life, 
while  he  is  yet  attended  v/ith  a  great  degree  of  unholinefs 
and  iin.  The  reafon  of  this  difference  is,  becaufe  by  the 
law  of  works  a  creature  is  juftified  by  his  own  works  or 
holinefs,  which  therefore  muft  be  perfed  ;  for  by  the 
leaft  fm  he  falls  under  the  curfe  of  the  law,  and  can 
never  after  obtain  any  bleffing  by  it :  "  For  as  many  as 
are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curfe  ;  for  it 
is  written,  Curfed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
the  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 
do  them."  But  by  the  law  of  faith  the  linner  is  not 
juftified  by  his  own  works  or  holinefs,  but  wholly  by 
the  merit  and  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift.  The  leaft  exer- 
cife  of  holinefs  by  which  a  linner  accepts  of  Chrift  offer- 
ing himfelf  to  him,  and  comes  to  him  for  pardon, 
righteoufnefs  and  complete  redemption,  interefts  him  iu 
all  the  bleffmgs  Chrift  has  obtained  for  fmners,  and  in 
all  the  promifes  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlafting  life.  Verily, 
verily  I  fay  unto  you,  he  that  heareth  my  word,  and 
believeth  on  him  who  fent  me,  hath  everlafling  life,  and 
fliall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  paffcd  from 
death  to  life." 

This 


SfiRM.    XV.  AND*  tHE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  2^y 

This  leads  to  obferve  another  differcnce  between  thefe 
two  laws. 

3.  By  the  law  of  works  a  creature  cannot  be  jullified 
until  he  has  perievered  in  perfect  obedience  to  the  end 
of  the  time  of  his  probation  :  but  by  the  law  of  faith 
the  linner  is  juftifiedj  and  interefted  in  all  the  promifes 
of  the  gofpel,  and  made  an  heir  of  eternal  life,  upon  the 
Jr/l  ad  of  faith  iti  Ghrift.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  hath  everlafting  life ;  he  fhall  not  come  into  con- 
demnation, but  is  pafTed  from  death  to  life."  Saving- 
faith  is  indeed  a  perfevering  faith,  fo  that  he  who  once 
believes  will  continue  to  believe  to  the  end  of  life.  His 
faith  fhall  never  fail  ;  not  becaufe  it  is  in  its  own  nature 
a.  perfevering  faith,  or  from  the  power  and  fuiliciency  of 
the  believner,  but  becattfe  Qod  has  promifed,  in  the 
covenant  of  grace,  that  he  who  once  believes,  to  whom 
lie  has  given  faith  to  lay  hold  of  and  embrace  this 
covenant  by  believing  on  Chriii:,  fhall  be  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  falvation.  The  firft 
act  of  faith  being  in  this  fenfe  and  manner  a  perfever- 
ing faith,  the  promife  is  made  to  believing,  even  the 
very  firfl  acl  of  it,  and  it  is  proper  that  this  fliould  bring 
into  a  ftate  of  juftification,  and  give  a  title  to  eternal 
life,  as  the  firfl  ad:  of  faith  is  the  beginning  of  an  ever- 
lafting' union  to  Ghrift,  in  v/hom  the  believer  has  ever- 
lalHng  righteoufnefs  and  flrcngth. 

4.  Though  the  holinefs  of  the  law  of  works  and  the 
law  of  faith  be  the  fame  in  nature  and  kind,  confiiHng  in 
obedience  to  the  fame,  and  conformable  to  the  revealed 
will  of  God  J  yet,  owing  to  the  ftate  and  circumftances 
of  the  finner,  and  the  different  way  and  manner  of  ob- 
taining juftincation  by  the  exercife  of  holinefs,  which 
has  been  defcribed,  there  is  a  real  and  great,  though  cir- 
cumftantial,  difference  in  the  exercife  of  the  fame  holi- 
nefs. The  finner,  infinitely  guilty,  ill-deferving  and 
wretched,  excrcifes  his  love  to  God  and  his  law,  and  to 
Chrift  the  mediator,  in  coming  to  and  truiling  in  Chrift, 
and  receiving  from  him  deliverance  from  the  infinite 
evil  he  deferves,  and  from  all  iin,  and  accepting  of  all 
L  1  the 


25^  THE    LAW   Ot   WORKS  SeRM.    XV* 

the  good  he  wants  and  is  capable  of  enjoying  to  all 
eternity,  ?s  a  free,  undefeived  gift.  He  has  a  greater 
fcnfe  of  the  infinite  goodnefs  and  free  grace  of  God, 
and  feels  more  dependent  on  this,  and  more  indebted  to 
God,  and  under  greater  obligations  to  him,  than  the 
holy  angels  who  have  never  finned  can  ;  and  confequent- 
ly  the  redeemed  exercife  a  greater  degree  of  humility^ 
and  a  more  ardent  and  fweet  love  of  gratitude,  and  ren- 
der a  higher  tribute  of  praife  to  God,  their  Redeemer 
and  Saviour,  than  they  are  capable  of  who  have  never 
iinned.  Therefore  the  redeemed  from  among  men  are 
reprefented  aS  finging  a  new  fong  before  the  throne  of 
God,  which  none  but  they  could  learn. 

Thirdly.  It  is  to  be  conlidered  how  and  why  all  boaft- 
ing  is  excluded  by  the  law  of  faith,  as  it  has  been  ex- 
plained. 

It  is  not  implied  in  this,  that  the  law  of  works,  when 
rightly  underftood  and  perfectly  obeyed,  affords  any 
ground  of  boafting  in  a  bad  fenfe,  or  of  fmful  boafting, 
which  is  meant  here.  The  holy  angels,  who  are  juftifi- 
ed,  and  have  obtained  the  reward  of  eternal  life  by  the 
law  of  works,  have  no  ground  for  boafting.  They  have 
no  pride,  and  do  not  glory  in  themfelves,  in  their  own 
obedience  and  works,  but  in  the  Lord,  in  his  munifi- 
cence and  glorious  character.  But  this  law  of  works  is 
not  fuited  to  the  finner,  to  obtain  juftification  and  life 
by  it  ;  for  he  has  fallen  under  the  curfe  of  it,  and  is 
forever  excluded  from  the  righteoufnefs  of  it  in  his  own 
perion  ;  and  to  fuppofe  a  finner  can  be  juflified  by  any 
obedience  or  works  he  can  perform,  is  to  let  him  infinite- 
ly higher  than  the  place  and  fi:ate  he  is  in,  and  to  dif- 
honour  and  degrade  the  law  ;  and  for  a  finner  to  at- 
tempt this,  is  a  moft  daring  inftance  of  pride  and  felf- 
confident  boafting.  And  were  it  poflible  that  a  finner 
could  obtain  the  favour  of  God,  and  juftification,  by 
any  obedience  or  holinefs  of  his  own,  and  out  of  refped: 
to  the  worth  and  amiabienefs  of  that,  this  would  pleafe 
and  flatter  his  pride,  and  nothing  could  prevent  his 
haughty  boafting  of  himfelf  and  his  own  good  works. 

And 


SeRM.    XV.  AND   THE    LAW  OF    FAITH.  259 

And  this  fuits  the  heart  of  proud  man  ;  he  naturally 
feeks  to  be  juftified  by  his  own  works,  if  he  feeks  it  at 
all,  til  at  he  may  have  fomething  to  boaft  of,  by  recom- 
mending himfelf  to  the  favour  of  God  by  his  own 
good  deeds,  being  ignorant  of  himfelf,  of  his  own 
character,  and  of  God  and  his  law. 

Thus  the  Jews  rcjecled  the  law  of  faith,  and  followed 
after  righteoufnefs,  and  obtained  it  not,  becaufe  they 
fought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of 
the  law.  They,  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteoufnefs, 
went  about,  or  attempted,  to  eftablifh  their  own 
righteoufnefs.  And  many  thoufands  and  millions  of 
Gentiles  in  the  Chriftian  world  have  ftumbled  at  that 
Humbling  Hone,  the  law  of  faith,  which  excludes  boaft- 
ing,  and  have  fought  and  are  now  feeking  to  be  faved 
by  the  law  of  works  j  how  many  millions  none  can  tell  1 
And  perhaps  there  is  not,  nor  ever  has  been,  one  of  the 
fons  or  daughters  of  Adam  who  has  enjoyed  the  light 
of  divine  revelation,  and  has  in  any  meafure  or  way 
fought  to  be  faved,  who  has  not  in  a  greater  or  lefs  de- 
gree made  this  wicked  and  dangerous  attempt.  Happy 
are  they  who  have  been  cured  of  boafting  by  embracing 
the  law  of  faith. 

What  has  been  faid  in  defcribing  the  law  of  faith  is 
fuilicient  to  fhow  that  it  excludes  all  boafting.  The 
linner  in  this  way  is  received  to  favour,  is  juftified  and 
faved,  not  on  account  of  any  works  he  has  done,  or 
ever  will  do,  and  is  not  recommended  to  favour  by 
any  worthinefs  or  holinefs  he  has,  but  is  confidered  as 
in  himfelf,  as  poor  and  naked,  wretched  and  miferable, 
infinitely  guilty,  and  deferving  to  be  caft  into  hell  for- 
ever, and  all  the  favour  he  receives  is  a  free,  undeferved 
gift  and  bounty,  yea,  bounty  to  the  moft  ill-deferving. 
Where  is  boaftins:  then  ?  What  has  he  to  boaft  of  but 
guilt,  ill-defert,  poverty  and  wretchednefs  r 

And  all  this  is  not  only  true,  and  he  is  viewed  in  this 
light  by  God,  agreeable  to  his  holy  law  ;  but  the  finner 
is  made  to  feel  and  acknowledge  this,  and  cannot  believe 
on  Clirift  and  come  to  him  by  faith,  unlefs  ,he  has  a  clear 

convictiow- 


£6o  IMPROVEMENT  SjERM.    XVL 

convi<!!tion  of  his  own  vile,  odious  character,  and  feeis  that 
he  has  no  worthinefs  to  recommend  him  to  the  leaft  fa- 
vour, but  is  infinitely  far  from  it  ;  that  he  is  fo  unwor- 
thy and  infinitely  guilty  and  ilLdeferving,  that  he  may 
be  juftly  hated  by  God,  and  cafi;  into  endieis  deftruclion. 
Thus  the  finner,  in  complying  with  the  law  of  faith,  even 
in  the  firft  and  every  acl  of  faith  in  Chrift,  humbles  him- 
felf  in  the  fight  of  God,  while  he  is  made  in  a  feiife  to 
annihilate  himfelf  before  God,  yea,  to  feel  that  he  is  in- 
finitely worfe  than  nothing.  And  all  his  holinefs,  and 
every  right  exercilb  of  mind,  confifts  in  a  hearty  ac-r 
knowledgement  of  this,  and  thus  humbling  himfelf,  and 
approving  of  the  character  of  Chrift,  and  the  way  of 
juttification  and  falvation  by  him,  which  is  the  law  of 
faith,  and  in  views  and  exercifes  which  are  implied  in 
this.  Thus  all  pride  and  difpofition  to  boaft  is  coun- 
terafted  and  deftroyed,  the  liDner  abafes  himfelf,  and 
rejoices  to  exalt  free,  fovereign  grace,  when  and  fo  far 
as  he  believes  in  Chrifi:,  and  is  pJeafed  with  the  law  of 
faith  :  and  the  more  holy  and  obedient  he  is,  in  con- 
forming to  this  law,  the  more  humble  he  is,  and  farther 
from  all  difpofition  to  boaft.  Thus  all  boafting  is  en- 
tirely and  forever  excluded  by  the  law  of  faith. 


emmyuLSx:  y-wmiaLrii^  Jiw^tjj-ifeMg— wanwp^asjuBxi--^""^^  ■■xaKaamg— jg—wumof  niLiMg|^ 


Sermon  xvi. 


Romans  iii.   27.     Where  is  boajling  then  ?    It  is  excluded^ 
By  what  law  ?    Of  works  ?    Nay  ;    but  by  the  law  of 
faith. 

Improvement. 

I.  '\\  7"E  learn  from  what  has  been  obferved  on  this 
V V  fubjeft,  that  they  make  a  great  mifi:ake,  and 
have  efpoufed  a  dangerous  and  hurtful  error,  who  be- 
lieve and  affert  that  if  faith  or  believing  in  Chrift:,  in 
order  to  juft;ification,  is  a  virtuous  or  holy  acl,  or  im- 
plies 


SeRM.    XVI.  OF  THE    SUBJECT.  26 1 

plies  any  real  goodnefs,  then  the  finner  has  fomething  lo 
recommend  himfelf,  which  is  of  real  worth,  of  which  he 
has  reaibn  to  boaft,  and  muft  be  acceptable  to  God  ; 
and  therefore  has  no  need  of  the  merits  of  Chrift  and 
free  grace  in  order  to  be  juftified.  They  therefore  con- 
tend that  to  affert  that  a  fmner  muft  exercife  any  ho^. 
linefs  previous  to  his  juftilication,  and  in  order  to  it, 
and  that  faith  is  a  holy  a<5t,  is  entirely  to  fubvert  the 
gofpel,  and  lays  a  foundation  for  beading,  and  f.attera 
the-pride  of  man.  Of  thefe  there  have  been,  and  now 
^re,  not  a  few  in  all  parts  of  the  proteilant  world. 

What  has  been  faid  on  this  fubjecl  ferves  to  fhow  how 
unreafonable  and  contrary  to  the  truth  this  notion  is, 
and  the  evil  tendency  of  it.  But  it  may  be  uibful  and 
of  importance  to  review  fome  things  which  have  been 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  difcourfe,  by  which  the 
error  and  abfurdity  of  this  opinion  will  be  abundantly 
expofed  and  confuted. 

I.  The  iinner  is  under  the  curfe  of  the  holy,  righ- 
teous and  good  law  of  God,  which  pronounces  him  to 
be  a  hateful,  accurfed  creature,  deferving  to  lie  under 
the  divine  difplcafure  and  wrath  forever.  Every  tranf- 
greilor  of  this  law  is  under  this  curfe  and  in  this  ftate, 
whatever  holy  obedience  he  had  performed,  and  how 
long  foever  he  had  continued  perfectly  holy  before  his 
fin.  His  tranfgreffion,  even  one  inftance  of  it,  totally 
obliterates  and  annihilates  his  preceding  holinefs,  fo  that 
it  cannot  have  the  leaft  influence  to  prevent  the  curfe 
coming  upon  him,  or  alleviate  it  in  any  degree  ;  but  he 
is  as  odious  and  guilty,  and  as  much  the  object  of  God's 
difpleafure  foj:  his  tranfgreilion,  as  if  his  previous  holi- 
nefs never  had  exiftence,  which  cannot  be  reckoned  in 
his  favour  in  any  refpecl  or  degree,  without  counter- 
acting the  law  of  God,  and  fetting  it  aiide  in  favour  of 
the  fmner,  who  by  it  is  curfed.  And  it  is  the  fame  with 
regard  to  any  future  holinefs  and  obedience.  If  the  fm- 
ner repent  and  turn  to  obedience,  though  ever  fo  per- 
fect and  long  continued,  this  would  not  in  the  leaft  de- 
gree atone  for  the  fm  of  which  he  had  been  guilty,  or 

remove 


252  IMTILOVEMtVr  SeRM.    X^^- 

remove  the  curfe  which  the  law  has  fixed  upon  him 
for  his  lin  ;  and  therefore  could  not  be  more  acceptable 
to  God  than  if  he  had  not  obeyed,  or  than  his  obedience 
belore  he  finned,  and  cannot  be  the  reafon  and  ground 
of  his  receiving  any  favour  from  God,  as  after  obedience 
is  as  much  obliterated  and  rendered  of  no  avail  to  re- 
commend to  any  favour,  by  his  fin,  as  his  obedience 
before  he  finned,  it  being  equally  contrary  to  the  law, 
which  pronounces  him  accurfed,  to  regard  and  accept 
or  iliow  any  favour  for  his  after  obedience,  as  for  the 
former,  and  it  cannot  be  done  without  vacating  and 
fetting  it  afide,  as  not  worthy  of  regard. 

This  is  the  plain  law  of  God,  which  curfes  eveiy  one 
who  continueth  not  to  obey  it  in  all  things  which  it 
requires,  and  holds  him  under  this  curfe,  notwithfi:and- 
ing  all  the  obedience  he  had  paid  to  it  before  he  finned, 
or  any  obedience  after  that.  The  law  affords  no  remedy 
or  help,  or  grants  any  thing  better  than  what  is  con- 
tained in  the  curfe.  This  is  the  law  of  God.  It  is  his 
voice  to  all  his  creatures  who  are  m.oral  agents.  It  is 
the  language  of  his  heart,  which  he  will  never  counter- 
a6l  or  contradid,  in  words  or  condu6t.  He  views  the 
finner  in  the  light  in  which  his  law  fets  him,  and  will 
treat  him  accordingly  fo  long  as  he  remains  under  the 
curfe  of  it,  and  is  not  delivered  from  it  in  a  way  which 
is  perfeclly  confiftent  with  it,  and  in  which  as  much  re- 
gard is  paid  to  it,  as  if  the  finner  remained  under  the 
cuHt  of  it  forever. 

Therefore,  whatever  repentance  and  approbation  of 
the  law  which  curfes  liim,  and  love  to  God,  the  finner 
exercifes  before  he  is  delivered  from  the  curfe  by  actual- 
ly coming  to  Chrifl:  and  believing  on  him,  does  not  in 
any  degree  remove  his  guilt,  or  render  him  lefs  dcferving 
of  the  curfe,  and  cannot  recommend  him  to  the  leall 
favour  ;  but  he  is  in  the  fight  of  God  as  much  accurfed 
and  the  objed:  of  his  diipleafure,  and  in  this  fenfe  as 
truly  migodiy,  as  he  was  before,  and  as  if  he  had  no  fuch 
exercifes  of  love  and  repentance,  as  they  cannot  be 
reckoned  in  his  favour,  fo  as  in  the  leaft  to  remove  the 

curfe* 


Serm.  XVL  of  the  subject.  2^5 

curfe.  And  whatever  repentance,  and  love  to  God  and 
his  law,  or  holinefs,  is  neceflary  in  order  to  come  to 
Chrift,  and  is  exerciied  in  coming  to  him  and  believing 
on  him,  this  cannot,  in  itfelf  coniidered,  recommend  the 
finner  to  favour,  or  render  him  lefs  unworthy  or  leis 
accuried  j  but  as  by  this  the  fmner  lays  hold  of  Chrift, 
and  is  united  to  him,  he  comes  within  the  reach  of  his 
merit  and  worthinefs,  fo  as  by  him  who  has  been  made 
a  curfe  he  may  confiftent  with  the  law  be  delivered 
from  the  curfe  of  it,  and  obtain  all  the  favour  which  he 
wants.  And  being  thus  by  Chrift  delivered  from  the 
curfe  of  the  law,  and  pardoned  and  juftified  by  virtue 
of  his  atonement  and  righteoufncfs,  his  perfon  and  his 
holy  exercifes  of  faith  and  love  become  acceptable  to 
God  through  Jefus  Chrift,  to  whom  he  is  united,  God 
may  now  be  juft,  and  maintain  and  honour  his  righteous 
law,  and  the  juftifier  of  him  who  belie veth  in  Jefus,  he 
being  made  accepted  in  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  is 
well  pleafed.  *  The 

*  This  ferves  to  fix  the  true  and  plain  meaning  of  the  Apoftle's 
words,  l^Rom.  iv,  4,  5.]  "  Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward 
not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt  :  but  to  him  that  worketh  not, 
but  believeth  on  him  that  juftifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted 
to  him  for  righteoufnels."  By  him  that  ijorheth  is  meant,  him  who 
by  his  works  of  obedience  recommends  himfelf  to  tavour,  and  the 
reward  of  eternal  life,  and  in  this  fenfe  earns  the  reward  by  the  price 
of  his  obedience,  which  no  creature  can  do,  except  thofe  who  are 
perfedly  innocent  and  holy,  as  has  been  obferved  in  explaining  the 
law  of  works.  He  who  worketh  not  is  the  finner,  who  neither  has 
nor  can  have  any  works  to  recommend  to  the  leall  favour ;  who  is 
"Convinced  of  this,  and  makes  no  attempt  to  do  any  thing  in  this  view 
and  to  this  end  ;  who  feels  that  he  is  juftly  accurfed,  and  under  the 
difpleafure  of  God,  and  deferves  nothing  better  than  everlafting  de- 
ftrudlion,  being  an  ungodly  rebel  againll  God,  and  wholly  unrigh- 
teous. As  fuch  he  looks  to  Chrift,  and  believeth  on  him,  and  cor- 
dially receives  him  and  trufts  in  him  for  righteoufnefs,  who  pardons 
and  juftifieth  fuch  unrighteous,  ungodly,  infinitely  guilty,  hell-de- 
ferving  finners  as  he  feels  and  confeifes  himfelf  to  be. 

They  who  hold  the  tenet  to  which  the  inference  under  confidera- 
tion  is  oppofed,  lay  much  ftrefs  upon  the  word  ungodly  in  this  palVage, 
as  if  it  denoted  a  finner  altogether  deftitute  of  the  leaft  friendly  dif- 
pofition  towards  God  and  Chrift,  being  an  impenitent  enemy  to 
God.  But  though  fuch  are  often  meant  in  the  fcripture  by  the  un- 
godly. 


264  IMPROrEAlENT  SeRM.    XVIi 

I'he  reafoh  of  a!l  this — why  the  finner*s  holinefs  be- 
fore or  after  he  has  once  liniied  cannot  be  acceptable 
and  reckoned  in  his  favour,  or  in  any  degree  remove 
the  cur fe  of  the  law,  and  whatever  holinefs  he  may 
exercife  previous  to  his  union  to  Chrift,  and  is  necellary 
•in  order  to  his  coming  to  Chrift,  and  actually  forming 
this  vital  union  to  him,  cannot  render  him  acceptable 
to  God,  or  lefs  unv/orthy  and  accurfed,  and  why  he  is 
totally  unacceptable,  as  ungodly  and  curfed  by  God, 
till  he  is  actually  united  to  Chrift,  and  can  be  accepted 
only  in  the  worthi-nefs  of  this  beloved  Son  of  God — the 
reaion  of  this  is  plain  and  eafy  to  be  feen. 

The  tranfgrcHion  of  the  law  of  God  in  the  leaft  fingle 
inftance  is  rebellion  againft  a  Being  infinitely  great, 
powerful,  wife,  juft  and  good,  who  has  abfolute  and 
unlimited  right  and  authority  to  command  and  give 
law  to  his  creatures  ;  they  are  therefore  under  infinite 
obligation  to  perfect  obedience  ;  and  confequently  a 
violation  of  this  obligation  can  be  no  lefs  than  an  in- 
finite crime,  or  an  infinite  moral  evil.  Befides,  he  who 
rebels  againft  God,  has  a  difpofition  and  will  to  dethrone 
him,  and  put  an  end  to  his  law,  authority  and  moral 
government,  and  introduce  infinite  confufion  and  mifery 
through  the  whole  univerfe  ;  and  his  conduct  tends  to 

this, 

godly,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  preclfely  this  idea  is  always  to  be 
denoted'  by  this  word.  It  has  been  Ihewn  in  what  fenfe  every  un- 
pardoned, unjuflified  finner  is  properly  denoininated  ungodly,  and 
this  appears  to  be  the  ienfc  in  which  the  Apollle  ufes  it,  fiom  the 
connection  and  context.  And  underflanding  it  as  they  do,  makes 
the  Apoftle  to  fay  that  a  finner,  with  a  liard,  impenitent  heart,  full 
of  enmity  to  God  and  to  Chrift,  and  the  way  of  fiilvation  by  him, 
;tnd  j  unification  by  free  grace,  may  and  does  believe  on  Chrift,  re- 
ceive and  truft  in  him  for  juftification  and  falvation,  which  he  at  the 
fame  time  abhors  v/rth  his  v.h';lc  heart  !  This  is  to  make  him  affert, 
with  themfclves,  that  which  is  n'i:ft  abfurd  and  abfolutely  impoffible. 
It  is  therefore  moft  certain  the  Apoftle  did  not  ufe  this  word  here  in 
the  fenfe  which  they  put  upon  ic,  but  in  a  fenfe  perfedtly  agreeable 
to  the  fubjed:  of  which  he  treats,  and  the  point  he  is  proving,  which 
is  naturally  and  eafily  iinderftood  by  the  unprejudiced  and  difcerning  i 
being  confiftent  with  himfcif,  wldi  other  fcripture,  and  with  ths 
clearcft  realbn. 


SeRM.    XVL  of    tHE    SUBJECT.  26^ 

this,  and  would  actually  effect  it  Vere  it  poillble,  and 
were  it  not  counteracled  and  prevented.  Every  fin 
therefore  rnuil  be  an  infinite  evil,  in  the  nature  and 
tendency  of  it.  There  is  no  moral  truth  more  de- 
monftrably  clear  and  certain  than  this ;  and  this  is  a 
truth  on  which  many  other  moral  truths  depend,  which 
relate  to  the  law  of  God  and  his  moral  government,  as 
we  fliall  fee.* 

Sin  being  thus  an  infinite  moral  evil,  no  temporary 
fufferings  of  the  finner,  or  of  any  mere  creature,  can 
make  the  leaft  degree  of  atonement  for  it,  fo  as  in  any 
meafure  to  alleviate  or  deliver  him  from  the  curfe  of 
the  law.  And  it  is  equally  certain  that  no  hoiinefs  of  a 
mere  creature  can  avail  to  recommend  him  v/ho  has 
once  finned  to  the  leafi:  favour.  Though  the  finner  had 
been  perfectly  obedient  and  holy  a  thoufand  years  be- 
fore he  finned,  this  is  but  a  finite  moral  good,  and  there- 
fore the  infinite  moral  evil  of  which  he  has  been  guilty 
infinitely  overbalances  his  finite  hoiinefs,  fo  that  it 
weighs  nothing  in  the  oppofite  fcale,  and  does  no  more 
to  lighten  or  take  off  the  curfe,  than  if  it  never  had 
exiltence.  And  this  is  equally  true  of  any  obedience 
which  the  finner  ftiould  perform  after  he  had  once  fin- 
ned, as  has  already  been  obferved  :  it  has  no  tendency 
to  take  off  the  curfe,  and  cannot  recommend  him  to 
any  favour,  or  be  the  leafi:  ground  or  reafon  of  his  be- 
ing confidered  and  treated  any  better  or  otherwife  than 
as  one  who  is  juftly  curfed,  unworthy  of  any  favour, 
and  deferving  all  the  evils  of  the  curfe.  And  therefore 
it  would  be  unreafonable,  and  a6ting  contrary  to  the 
law,  to  confider  and  treat  him  otherwife,  or  fhew  him 
any  favour  out  of  refpect  to  his  obedience, 

*  The  penalty  threatened  in  the  law  of  God  to  every  tranfgreflion, 
which  is  endlefs  punifhment,  has  its  foundation  on  the  infinite  evil  of 
fm,  and  is  a  demonltration  that  it  is  an  evil  of  fuch  magnitude  :  for, 
if  fin  were  not  infinitely  criminal,  it  would  not  deferve  an  infinite 
punifhment,  nor  would  it  be  threatened.  Chrill  explains  the  mean- 
ing of  the  curie  or  penalty  of  the  law,  when  he  fays,  "  Depart  ys 
curfed  into  everlafting  fire."  They  who  deny  the  infinite  evil  of  fin, 
cannot  vindicate  or  underftand  the  divine  law,  or  thj  gofpel,  which 
js  founded  upon  it. 

M  ra  Thvs 


'l66  IMPROVEMJENT  SeRM.    XVf. 

Thus  it  appears  oertain,  that  it  is  impolTible  that  the 
holincrs  of  a  creature  who  lias  once  finned,  fliould  be 
accepted  as  a  reafon  of  his  having  any  favour,  and  being 
in  any  refpecl  dehvered  from  the  curie  of  the  lav^',  as 
the  evil  of  his  fin  infinitely  outu'eighs  all  the  moral  good 
of  which  he  is  capable,  and  finks  it  into  nothing,  fo  as 
to  render  it  wholly  unacceptable,  confiftent  with  the 
divine  law,  w^re  it  true  that  fucli  obedience  or  moral 
good  might  take  off  the  curfe  of  the  law,  and  render 
the  iinner  acceptable,  did  it  overbalance,  or  were  it 
equal  to,  the  evil  of  his  fin.  But  even  this  is  not  true. 
The  curfe  of  the  law  denounces  infinite  natural  evil  as 
the  puniiliment  which  fm  deferves,  and  therefore  can- 
not be  taken  off  or  removed  by  any  thing  hut  fajf'cring. 
No  degree  of  obedience  or  moral  good,  be  it  ever  fo 
much  or  fo  great,  can  make  any  atonement  for  one  the 
Icaft  Hn,  fo  as  to  deliver  the  finner  from  the  curfe* 
Therefore  Chrift  himfelf  was  made  a  curfe,  that  by  fuf- 
fering  the  evil  of  the  curfe,  the  ]w.^fuff£ring  for  the  un- 
juft,  he  might  deliver  the  Unner  who  believes  in  him 
from  the  curfe,  and  open  the  way  for  him  to  come  to 
God  with  acceptance. 

From  all  this  it  appears  that  the  opinion  under  con- 
fideration,  that,  if  the  finner  is  recovered  to  any  degree 
of  holinefs  antecedent  to  his  juftihcation  by  the  merit 
and  fighteoufnefs  of  Chrift,  and  in  order  to  it,  he  has 
whereof  to  glory,  and  has  a  righteoufnefs  of  his  own 
which  is  acceptable  to  God,  fo  that  he  ftands  in  no'^need 
of  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  in  order  to  be  juftified  ; 
that  this  opinion  is  a  great  and  dangerous  error,  moft 
contrary  to  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things,  and  the 
holy  law  of  God,  and  really  perverts  and  makes  void 
both  law  and  gofpel  Therefore  they  who  hold  and 
pcrfift  in  this  error  are  in  truth  and  in  a  high  degree 
Antinomians,  tB  their  doctrine  makes  the  law  wholly  void 
in  the  moft  important  and  eftential  branch  of  it.  And 
their  do<5lrine  on  this  point  is  totally  Antichrijiian.  For 
the  law  is  in  fuch  a  fenfe  the  foundation  of  the  gofpel, 
that  if  the  former  be  perverted  and  made  void,  the  latter 

becomes 


SeRM.    XVI.  OK    THE    SUBJECT.  267 

}3ecomes  unintclllf^ible  and  ufelefs.  If  iinners  may  be 
delivered  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  and  obtain  favour 
and  j unification,  by  becoming  in  any  degree  holy  and 
obedient,  then  they  may  be  laved  vi'ithout  Chrift  and 
the  gofpal.  "  If  there  had  been  a  law  which  could  have 
given  life,  verily  righteoufnefs  ihould  have  been  by  the 
law  ;  and  if  rig;hteoufnefs  come  bv  the  law,  then  Chrift 
is  dead  in  vain  :"    \_Gal.  ii.  21,  iii.  21.3 

We  hope  that  men,  fome  of  them  at  leaft,  who  hold 
and  propagate  the!  j  antinomian  and  antichriftian  doc- 
trines in  theory,  have  better  hearts  than  heads,  and  love 
and  embrace  the  truth  in  the  former,  while  they  be- 
lieve that  which  is  grofs  and  dangerous  error  with  the 
latter, 

2.  Were  the  preceding  obfcrvatlons  not  true,  which 
is  indeed  an  impo:Tible  fuppohtion,  and  could  the  linner, 
on  becoming  perfectly  holy  and  obedient,  be  delivered 
from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  and  admitted  to  the  accep- 
tance and  favour  of  God,  and  his  paft  fm  not  be  re- 
membered againil  him,  out  of  refpecl  to  his  prefent 
holinefs,  coniiftent  with  the  law  of  God,  yet  this  does 
not  touch  the  cafe  of  a  flnner,  who  only  exercifes  fo 
much  of  a  right  difpofition  as  is  neceffarily  implied  in 
approving  of  the  character  and  law  of  God,  and  of 
Chrift,  and  in  coming  to  him  for  pardon,  juftilication 
and  life.  He  may  exercife  fuch  a  degree  of  holinefs 
coniiftent  with  his  havinsf  much  more  fin  than  holinefs 
at  the  fame  time,  which  is  undoubtedly  true  of  every 
iinner  who  embraces  the  gofpel,  and  of  every  Chriftian 
as  long  as  he  lives  in  this  world.  A  fmner  who  becomes 
friendly  to  God,  and  embraces  the  gofpet,  has  fuch  low 
and  iinfully  dehcient  exercifes  of  love,  and  fo  much  of 
that  which  is  contrary,  and  pofitive  wickednefs,  that, 
aiide  from  his  guilt  for  former  fms,  his  prefent  character, 
confidered  in  itfclf,  has  much  more  evil  than  good,  and, 
o-n  the  whole,  is  worfe  than  nothing,  and  cannot  be  an 
object  of  the  complacency  and  favour  of  God,  but  rather 
of  his  difpleafure  and  curfe,  and  he  ftands  in  as  much 
jseed   of  favour  and  juftification  by  free  grace  through 

the 


268  IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.     XVT. 

the  rigliteoufnefs  of  Chrift,  as  if  he  had  no  holinefs,  and 
were  altogether  an  enemy  to  God  :  for  he  has  no  mo- 
ney or  price  to  purchafe  this  favour,  and  is  continually 
running  more  in  debt.  And  to  plead  his  good  charac- 
ter as  proper  to  recommend  him  to  tlie  ieall  favour, 
would  be  highly  diipleafmg  to  God,  and  niuft  be  fo  to 
every  good  man,  whetl:icr  done  by  the  linner  himfelfj  or 
any  other  perfcn. 

I'hey  who  make  the  objection  under  confidcration, 
who  think  themfelves  Chriilians,  and  that  they  do  cx- 
ercife  holineis,  may  be  alked,  whether  they  think  this 
has  railed  them  above  the  need  of  free  grace  and  juftifi- 
cation  by  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift,  or  at  leaft  do  not 
ftand  in  lo  much  need  of  it  as  they  fliomd  if  they  had 
no  degree  of  holineis.  If  they  anfwer  in  the  afiirmative, 
they  are  not  fuch  Chrifiians  as  was  the  apcftle  Paul.  If 
they  aniM^er  in  the  negative,  and  fav  that  they  are  as 
dependent  on  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  for  juftification 
and  all  favour  as  if  they  were  wholly  unholy,  and  they 
expeft  to  be  faved  by  free  grace  as  much  as  they  could 
be  if  they  could  be  faved  in  their  fins  without  any  hor 
linefs,  that  they  are  far  from  having  any  thing  to  boaft 
cf,  and  the  more  conformed  they  are  to  God  in  holi- 
nefs, or  the  more  they  fee  God  and  love  him,  the  m.ore 
they  are  difpofed  to  abafe  and  humble  themfelves  before 
him,  and  feel  their  need  of  fuch  a  Saviour  as  Jefua 
Chrift ;  then  by  this  confellion  they  entirely  give  up 
their  objection,  and  grant  that  whatever  holinefs  the 
fmner  may  exercife  previous  to  his  juftification,  and  in 
Ills  coming  to  Chrift  for  it,  this  does  not  make  him  the 
n.ore  defer ving  of  favour,  nor  does  he  ftand  in  lefs  need 
of  juftification  by  free  grace  through  the  worthincfs  of 
Chrift  ;  and  it  will  be  fo  far  from  difpofing  him  to  be 
proud,  and  boaft,  that  it  will  bring  him  to  humble  him- 
f^if  at  the  foot  of  fovereign,  free  grace,  which  humility 
will  increaie  as  he  ftiall  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  know- 
ledge of  his  Lord  and  Saviour  Jcfus  Chrift. 

But  further  to  confute,  if  th:'t  be  poflible,  and  fliow 
how  falfe  and  abfurd  the  tenet  is  which  we  are  oppoftng^^ 
it  muft  be  obferved,  3.  The 


Sr-RM.   XVL  OF   THE    SUBJECT.  26g 

3.  The  holinefs  which  thefinner  exerclfes  in  be- 
lieving on  Chrift  and  coming  to  him  for  all  he  wants, 
iij  fo  tar  from  being  the  ground  of  pride  and  boafting, 
or  promoting  and  encouraging  this,  that  it  diredly 
counteracts  and  deftroys  fuch  a  difpofition.  The  fm- 
ner's  heart  is  naturally  full  of  pride,  and  a  difpofition 
which  is  gratified  in  felf  exaltation  and  boafting ;  and 
nothing  can  cure  him  of  this  reigning  difpofition,  and 
in  any  degree  deftroy  his  pride,  but  a  change  of  heart  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  pride  receives  a  deadly 
wound,  and  he  is  difpofed  to  humble  himfclf  in  the 
fight  of  God.  And  the  grace  he  hereby  receives  and 
exercifes  confifts  in  difcerning  and  confelling  his  finful, 
loft  ftate,  that  the  law  he  has  tranfgreffed  is  juft  and 
good,  that  he  is  infinitely  vile  and  ill  deferving,  that 
Cod  may  juftly  fend  him  to  endiefs  deftruclion  at  any 
time,  that  he  has  nothing  that  can  deferve  or  recom^ 
mend  him  to  the  leaft  favour,  but  every  thing  in  every 
refped  infinitely  to  the  contrary  :  and  in  iliis  view  and 
fenfe  of  his  own  character  he  comes  to  Chriil  as  a  poor, 
infinitely  guilty  and  wretched  finner,  and  begs  for  mer- 
cy, not  for  his  own  fake,  or  for  any  thing  he  has  done 
or  ever  fhall  do,  but  for  the  fake  of  what  Chrift  has  fuf- 
fered  and  done,  pleafed  and  hoping  to  be  pardoned  and 
received  to  favour  by  free,  undeferved  grace  through 
Jefus  Chrift,  defiring  forever  to  be  abafed  and  humbled, 
and  that  the  moft  undeferved,  fovereign  grace  may  be 
exalted  and  honoured  in  his  falvation. 

"Where  is  pride  and  boafting  then  ?  It  is  effectually 
excluded  and  deftroyed,  by  the  exercife  of  that  grace 
and  holinefs  by  which  the  finner  approves  of  the  charac- 
ter and  law  of  God,  condemns  himfelf  as  juftly  de- 
ferving eternal  mifery  and  nothing  better,  and  looks  to 
Chrift  for  undeferVed,  free  pardon  and  favour  to  an  in- 
finitely guilty,  odious,  undeferving,  wretched  beggar.  He 
who  can  believe  that  fuch  exercifes,  which  are  according 
to  the  law  of  faith,  are  agreeable  to  the  pride  of  man, 
and  will  lead  to  boafting,  may  with  as  good  reafon  be- 
lieve that  humility  is  pride,  and  felf  abafement  is  felf 
exaltation.  And 


1-^0  IMPROVEMENT  SeRM.  X\t. 

And  befidcs  all  this  which  has  been  now  faid  to  con- 
fute this  error,  it  muft  be  obferved,  that  they  who  ex- 
clude all  holinefs  from  faving  faith,  by  which  the  fmner 
is  juftilied,  left  if  it  were  a  holy  exercife  he  would  have 
reafon  to  boaft  as  having  fomething  of  his  own  to  re- 
commend himfelf,  do  luppofe  that  a  proud,  impenitent 
enemy  to  God  and  his  law,  may  fee  the  truth,  wifdonl 
and  goodnefs  of  the  gofpel,  and  approve  of  the  charac- 
ter of  Chrift,  and  the  way  of  falvation  by  him,  which 
fuppohtion  is  as  unreafonable  and  abfurd,  and  as  con- 
trary to  the  holy  fcripture,  as  can  be  made  or  conceiv- 
ed. And  it  is  indeed  moft  difhonourable  to  Chrift  and 
the  gofpel,  as  if  his  character  was  fuch  that  a  wicked 
man,  an  impenitent  enemy  of  God,  might  difcern  the 
truth  and  excellency  of  it,  and  heartily  approve  and  be 
pleafed  with  it  !  How  contrary  is  this  to  the  declaration 
of  Chrift  and  his  Apoftle  !  The  former  fays,  "  He  that 
doth  evil  hatheth  the  light,  neither  conieth  to  the 
light."  And  the  latter,  "  The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolifh- 
nefs  unto  him,  neither  can  he  kno^y  them,  becaufe  they 
are  fpiritually  difcerned."  * 

*  The  importance  that  this  grofs  error,  which  is  fo  unfcriptiiral 
and  abfurd,  and  leads  to  fo  many  hurtful  conceptions  of  the  law 
of  faith,  Ihould  be  wholly  difcarded,  has  been  the  motive  to  attempt 
thus  to  expofe  and  confute  it.  Though  it  has  been  embraced  by 
many  in  the  proteftant  world,  and  there  are  thofe  who  at  this  day 
contend  for  it,  yet  it  is  hoped  that  an  effetftual  i'top  will  be  put  to 
the  continuance  and  fpread  of  it.  If  they  who  have  imbibed  it,  and 
are  difpofed  zealoufly  to  defend  it,  fliould  not  be  convinced  of  their 
miftake,  yet  they  who  have  not  exploded,  but  have  been  rather 
favourable  towards  it  and  the  dodrines  which  imply  it,  through 
want  of  convidion  of  thofe  truths  by  which  it  may  be  made  to  ap- 
pear contrary  to  fcripture,  and  a  dangei-ous  error,  may,  by  attending 
to  what  has  here  been  faid,  be  led  to  fee  their  miftake,  and  renounce 
it,  WMth  proper  concern  and  zeal  to  fupprefs  it,  and  vindicate  the 
oppofjte  truth.  And  they  who  are  coming  on  the  ilage,  and  have 
not  yet  formed  any  opinion  on  this  point,  may  be  prevented  imbib- 
ing this  error,  fo  that  it  may  die  with  thofe  who  now  eUibrace  it, 
and  cannot  be  convinced  of  iheir  error,  and  not  be  handed  down  to 
pofterity. 

II.  From 


S£RM.    XVI.  OF    THE   SUBJECT.  27I 

II.  From  this  fubjecl  it  appears,  that  faving  faith,  by 
which  the  juft  do  live,  is  a  very  diflercnt  thing  from 
what  many  have  imagined  and  taught. 

Saving  faith  coniiks  in  the  difcerning  and  belief  of 
the  truths  of  the  gofpel,  and  cordial  approbation  of 
them,  and  conformity  to  them,  which  is  pecuhar  to  a 
renewed,  wife  and  underilanding  heart.  It  implies  the 
whole  of  evangelical  holinefs,  in  the  exercife  of  which 
men  believe  on  Chrift,  receive  him  and  cleave  to  him 
with  purpofe  of  heart,  and  walk  in  him,  and  by  which 
he  dwells  in  their  hearts.  It  is  the  life  of  a  Chriftian, 
and  is  eilential  to  all  his  holinefs,  and  cannot  be  diftin- 
guifhed  from  it  ;  for  it  all  confiits  in  fighting  the  fight 
of  faith,  by  which  he  lays  hold  of  eternal  life. 

Therefore  the  faith  by  which  fmners  are  jufl:ified  does 
not  confift  in  mere  fpeculation,  or  conviction  and  judg- 
ment and  reafon,  confidered  as  diftinct  from  the  heart 
and  the  exercifes  of  that,  or  of  the  will  and  affections  ; 
which  has  been  the  opinion  of  many.  It  is  prefumed 
enough  has  been  faid  fully  to  confute  this  notion. 

Nor  does  faving  faith  confift  in  the  fmner's  believing 
and  perfuafion  that  he  is  juftified,  that  Chrift  died  for 
him,  is  his,  fo  that  he  fliall  certainly  be  laved.  This  be- 
lief an  impenitent  enemy  to  Chrift  may  entertain,  and 
yet  continue  as  impenitent  and  unholy  as  he  was  before. 
Befides,  there  is  no  foundation  for  fuch  a  perfuafion  or 
belief,  antecedent  to  the  exercife  of  faving  faith,  by  and 
in  confequence  of  which  a  finner  is  juftified  ;  but  it  is 
perfect  deluiion  and  falfehood.  No  fuch  thing  is  reveal- 
ed in  the  Bible,  that  a  finner  is  juftified  before  he  be- 
lieves in  Chrift,  cordially  receives  him,  and  is  reconciled 
to  God-;  but  the  contrary  ;  that  he  is  condemned,  and 
under  the  wrath  of  God.  Therefore  a  belief  that  his 
fins  are  pardoned,  and  that  God  loves  him,  antecedent 
to  his  having  an  intereft  in  Chrift  by  cordially  receiving 
him,  is  a  delufion,  and  is  a  perfuafion  grounded  entirely 
on  a  falfe  fuggeftion,  either  from  his  own  heart,  or  the 
father  of  lies. 

It 


2;l  IMPROVKMENt  SeR^I.    XVL 

It  lias  becji  iVid,  and  publifhed,  in  vindication  of  this 
fort  ot  faith,  that  men  muii  bejieve  that  they  are  juftiii- 
ed,  &c.  that  by  theii'  beUeving  it  may  become  true,  ac- 
cording to  their  faith  ;  and  therefore  they  muft  beheve 
without  any  evidence  of  the  truth  of  it,  either  from 
Icripture,  fenfe  or  reafon,  that  by  their  fo  believing  it 
may  become  true*  And  indeed  there  is  no  other  way 
to  adhere  to  this  notion  of  faith,  but  by  embracing  this 
mafs  of  abfurdity  and  nonfenfe. 

Volumes  have  been  v/ritten  in  this  century  by  men  in 
high  repute  for  piety,  in  which  this  notion  of  faith  rung 
through  the  whole  ;  and  they  have  been,  and  ftill  are^ 
read  by  multitudes  with  high  approbation.  Without 
calling  in  queftlon  the  piety  of  the  authors  or  their  ad- 
mirers, many,  if  not  moft  of  whom  probably  do  not  cri- 
tically tittend  to  their  notion  of  faith,  but  to  the  good 
thinf^s  which  thev  have  written  ;  there  is  fulhcient  war- 
rant  to  fay  that  this  notion  of  faith  is  not  only  moft 
contrary  to  the  fcriptures,  but  as  unintelligible,  and  at- 
tended with  as  many  abfurdities,  as  any  religious  tenet 
that  was  ever  thought  of  and  propagated  by  Mahomet, 
the  Man  of  Sin,  or  any  one  elfe. 

This  notion  of  faith  is  not  only  in  itfelf  unfcriptural 
and  mofl  abfurd,  but,  confidered  in  the  tendency  of  it, 
and  that  with  which  it  is  connected,  the  dangerous  and 
deftructive  confequence  of  it  will  appear.  They  who 
entertain  this  notion  of  faith,  fuppofe  that  the  impeni- 
tent enemy  of  God,  upon  believing  that  God  loves  him^ 
that  his  fins  are  pardoned,  &c.  does  begin  to  repent  and 
love  God,  ccc.  becaufe  he  is  perfuaded  that  God  loves 
him  and  will  fave  him  ;  that  by  this  belief,  and  under 
this  perfuafion,  the  (inner  is  converted,  and  becomes  a 
true  friend  of  God,  and  a  real  Chriftian.  They  fay  that 
a  fmner  cannot  be  brought  to  love  God,  until  he  firft  fees 
or  believes  that  God  loves  him,  or  is  in  fome  manner  and 
degree  become  propitious  to  him  ;  that  a  fight  and  real 
belief  of  this  is  eftec'tual  to  induce  him  to  love  God, 
and  live  a  holy  life.  This  makes  his  converfion  and 
all  his  love  and  holinefs  to  be  nothing  but  felfillincfs  and 

pride  j 


SrRM.    XVL  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  273 

pride  ;  and  fuch  a  conveiTion  does  not  imply  any 
change  of  hairt  for  the  better,  but  for  the  worfe,  and 
all.  his  fuppoled  holinefs  is  nothing  but  feliiflinefs  and 
lin,  which  the  worJl  of  men  may  praclifc,  and  continue 
real  enemies  to  the  true  character  of  God.  The  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift  has  decided  this  in  the  moft  plain  and  ex- 
prcfs  M'ords  :  "  If  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what 
thank  have  ye  ?  for  linncrs  alfo  love  thofe  that  love 
them." 

The  Clu'iftian,  nfur  he  has  believed  and  embraced  the 
gofpel,  and  is  juftified,  may,  on  reflecling  on  his  own 
ftate  and  exercifes,  have  good  evidence  that  he  does 
love  Chrift,  and  is  a  true  believer ;  and  therefore  that 
lie  is  juftilicd  and  fliall  be  faved  ;  this  confequentiy  he 
may  believe,  and  in  this  way  obtain  the  "  affurance  of 
hope."  But  this  is  not  faving  faith,  or  any  pavt  of  it  ; 
for  faving  faith  mull  take  place  before  he  is  juftitied,  and 
there  muft  be  ground  of  evidence  that  he  has  faving 
faith,  before  he  can  have  any  reafon  to  believe  that  he  is 
in  a  ftate  of  jufdfication,  and  Ihall  be  faved.* 

III.  From  the  view  we  have  had  of  the  law  of  faith 
we  may  fee  the  reafon  v/hy  men  are  naturally  oppofed  to 
the  gofpel,  and  refufe  to  comply  with  it,  viz.  becaufe  holi- 
nefs  is  neceifarily  implied  in  an  approbation  of  it  and  cor- 
dially embracing  it.  Therefore  faith  is  the  gift  of  God- 
Fn  order  to  believe  on  Chrift,  a  man  muft  be  born  again 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  have  a  new  heart  given  to  him, 
and  be  made  a  new  creature,  friendly  to  true  holinefs. 

*  This  fubjed  is  more  largely  and  very  particulaj-ly  conficlered  by 
Dr.  B.'Jlnmy  in  his  "  Theron,  Paiilinus  and  Afpallo  ;  or,  Letters 
and  Dialogues,  upon  the  Nature  of  Love  to  Gcd,  Faith  in  Chrift, 
and  Affarance  of  Eternal  I^ife,"  and  in  his  "  Eilay  on  the  Nature 
and  Glory  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift :"  which  books  may  be  re- 
commended to  all  who  defire  to  be  well  acquainted  v^'ith  the  fubjeft, 
and  form  their  judgment  according  to  the  truth. 

This  fubjeiSt  is  alfo  difcuifcd  by  Prefident  Edwards,  in  his  "  Dif- 
courfcs  on  Juftificatlon  by  Faith  alone,"  and  by  the  Author  in  his 
"  Syftem  of  Do6lrincs,  contained  in  Divine  Revelation,"  vol.  ii-  chap. 
iv.  feclion  vi.  "  Concerning  Saving  Faith  ;"  and  fediou  xi.  "  Con- 
cerning Believers'  Aifurance  of  Salvarjon." 

N  n  This 


^74  IMPROVEMENT  SerM-    XVL 

This  is  therefore  abundantly  afferted  in  the  fcriptures. 
It  will  be  fufficient  here  to  refer  to  the  words  of  the 
apoiUe  John  :  "  Whofoevcr  beheveth  that  Jefus  is  the 
Chrift,  is  born  of  God/' 

If  the  gofpel  were  an  inftitution  which  might  be  approv- 
ed of,  beheved  and  truly  embraced,  by  an  unholy  heart, 
an  unregenerate  man  ;  it  would  not  be  an  holy  inftitu- 
tiouj  and  therefore  could  not  be  from  God.  Jefus 
Chrift  is  a  holy  Saviour  ;  holinefs  is  eilential  to  every 
part  of  his  character,  to  all  his  words  and  works.  Sal- 
vation by  him  is  a  holy  falvation,  and  the  way  of  falva- 
tion  is  wife  and  holy  in  every  view  of  it.  It  is  there- 
fore impollible  that  an  imholy  heart  fhould  come  near  to 
this  Saviour  with  the  leaft  inclination  towards  him,  and 
the  way  of  falvation  by  him  ;  but  fuch  an  heart  muft 
hate  him,  and  choofe  to  keep  at  a  diftance  from  him  and 
avoid  him  ;  and  can  be  no  more  reconciled  to  him  and 
the  gofpel,  than  to  the  holy  law  of  God. 

How  dea-radins;  and  difhonourable  to  Chrift  and  the 
gofpel  then,  and  how  unreafonable  and  abfurd,  is  their 
notion,  who  hold  that  the  gofpel  is  fuited  to  pleafe  and 
win  the  heart  of  an  unrei^enerate  man,  fo  that  while  he 
hates  God's  holy  law,  he  with  an  unholy  heart  embraces 
the  gofpel,  and  in  this  way  and  by  this  means  his  heart 
is  chan2:ed,  and  he  becomes  friendlv  to  God  and  his  ho- 
ly  law  !  When  fliali  the  profeiTcd  friends  of  the  gofpel 
ceafe  to  difhonour  and  pervert  it,  in  order  to  fuit  it  to 
the  tafte  and  inclination  of  an  unholy  heart  ? 

IV.  We  hence  learn  that  all  the  interefts  of  true  vir- 
tue and  holinefs  are  as  much  and  as  well  fecured  and 
promoted  by  the  law  of  faith,  as  they  are  or  can  be  by 
the  law  of  works. 

Many  have  thought  that  the  doctrine  of  juftification 
by  faith,  thrcup:h  the  atonement  and  merit  of  Chrift,  not 
being  in  the  ieaft  recommended  to  this  favour  by  any 
works  or  holinefs  of  our  own,  is  a  licentious  dodrine, 
nud  tends  to  influence  men  to  nesi:le<5l  a  holv  life,  and 
give  ihemfelves  to  ftoth  and  fm.  But  this  has  been 
wholly  owing  to  their  ignorance  of  the  fubjed:. 

According 


SeRM.    XVI.  OF   THE    SUBJECT.  275 

According  to  the  law  of  faith,  true  holinefs  is  as  ne- 
ceffary  in  order  to  juftification,  as  if  the  finner  were  juf- 
tified  by  the  merit  of  his  works,  though  in  a  different 
way  and  for  a  different  reafon,  as  has  been  fliewn.  Faith 
itfelf,  by  which  the  finner  receives  Chrift,  and  renounces 
all  dependence  on  his  own  holinefs  to  recommend  him 
to  the  leaft  favour,  and  relies  on  free,  undeferved  grace 
for  the  juftihcation  of  one  infinitely  unworthy  and  ill- 
dcferving ;  this  faith  itfelf  is  a  holy  exercife,  as  has  been 
proved  ;  and  men  cannot  live  by  faith  but  by  living  an 
holy  life. 

As  real  holinefs  in  love  to  the  character  of  God  and 
his  law  is  exercifed  in  approving  of  the  character  of 
Chrift,  and  coming  to  him  and  trufting  in  him  for  par- 
don, juftification  and  eternal  life,  as  can  be  in  obeying  the 
law  of  God,  as  the  price  of  the  divine  favour,  according 
to  the  law  of  works.  Holinefs  is  as  really  and  neceflari- 
ly  exercifed  in  applying  to  God  as  an  infinitely  gracious 
and  bountiful  benefactor;  and  gratefully  receiving  of  him 
infinite  favour  and  bleffmgs  as  a  free  gift  to  the  infinite- 
ly guilty  and  ill-defer ving,  as  is  or  can  be  exercifed  in 
obedience  to  his  authority  and  law  as  a  recommendation 
to  and  enjoyment  of  his  favour  and  blelHng. 

And  as  obedience  and  holinefs  is  as  neceffary  according 
to  the  law  of  faith,  as  it  is  according  to  the  law  of  works, 
in  order  to  juftification  and  eternal  life  ;  fo  there  is  not 
merely  as  much,  but  much  greater,  encouragement  to 
praclife  it,  and  the  obligations  and  motives  to  the  exer- 
cife of  holinefs,  in  love  to  God  and  man,  are  greatly  in- 
creafed,  and  rendered  unfpeakably  greater  and  ftronger, 
by  the  law  of  faith. 

How  wholly  groundlefs  and  unreafonable,  and  con- 
trary to  truth,  faft  and  experience,  is  the  objedion  to 
the  law  of  faith,  according  to  which  "  a  man  is  juftified 
by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,"  or  not  by  the 
law  of  works,  that  this  renders  unneceflary,  and  is  a 
difcouragement  to  holinefs  and  good  works,  and  encou- 
rages Hcentioufnefs  and  fin ! 

V.  This 


27^  INrPROVEMENT  SeRM.    XVI. 

V.  This  fubject  opens  an  eafy  and  plain  way,  and 
perhaps  the  only  fatislactory  and  true  way,  to  reconcile' 
the  two  apofties,  Paul  an  d  James,  in  what  they  hy  of 
that  by  which  finners  are  iullilied.  St.  Paul  has  iaid, 
"  Therefore  we  conclude,  that  a  man  is  juftilied  by  faith, 
without  the,  deeds  of  the  law  ;  knowing  that  a  man  is 
not  juftilied  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith 
of  Jefus  Chrift."  St.  James  has  faid, "  Ye  fee  then  how 
that  by  works  a  man  is  juftilied,  and  not  by  faith  only.'* 
It  has  been  raftily  thought  by  fome  that  the  *ipofties'in 
theie  words  exprefsly  contradict  each  other  ;  but  their 
perfect  confiftence  and  agreement  with  each  other  will 
appear  only  by  obferving  the  different  fenfe  in  which 
they  ufe  the  word  works^  which  is  evident  by  all  they 
fay  on  the  point. 

Paul  exprefsly  defines  the  works  which  he  excludes 
from  the  law  of  faith,  and  fets  in  oppofition  to  it.  They 
are  the  works  of  the  law,  the  fame  with  the  law  of  works, 
meaning  works  done  in  order  to  recommend  to  favour, 
as  a  price  ofFered  to  purchafe  and  merit  acceptance  and 
juttiiication  of  God,  as  has  been  reprefented  and  explain- 
ed. By  works  James  m.eans  Chrifdan  holinefs  and  obe- 
dierxe,  which  is  the  fame  with  the  law  of  f^^iith,  which 
has  been  explained.  By  works  James  means  that  love, 
in  all  its  operations  and  fruits,  which  he  fays  is  the  life 
and  ioul  of  faith,  and  without  wliich  there  cannot  be 
any  true  faith.  His  words  are,  "  For  as  the  body  with- 
out the  Spirit  is  dead,  lo  faith  without  works  is  dead 
alfo.  Secft  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  works,  and 
by  works  was  faith  made  perfecl  r"  How  could  lie  more 
ftrongly  affert  the  holinefs  of  laving  faith,  when  he  fays 
that  holy  love,  the  root  and  ellence  of"  all  Chriftian  obe- 
dience and  good  vvorks,  is  as  much  the  life  and  adiv^e 
nature  of  a  living,  iaving  faith,  as  the  fpirit  is  the  life 
and  aftivity  of  the  body  ?  How  contrary  is  this  to  fay- 
ing, as  m.any  have  done,  that  holy  love,  which  implies 
and  compreliends  all  the  obedience  and  good  works  of 
a  Chriftian,  is  the  ejf'cct  and  confcquencc  of  faith,  and 
prodiKcd  by  faith,  ab  the  cauie  produces  the  effect! 

Paul 


SfiRM.    XVI.  OF    THE    SUBJECT.  277 

Paul  agrees  with  James  perfeclly  in  his  defcription  of 
ftving  faith.  He  fays,  "  Faith  worketh  by  love,'*  that 
is.  Love,  which  is  the  effcnce  of  all  Chriftian  obedience, 
and  implies  all  good  works,  is  the  foul  and  active  life  of 
faith,  by  which  it  operates,  or  acls  and  works,  as  the 
fpirit  is  the  life  of  the  body,  by  which  it  moves  and 
acls. 

VL  This  fubjeft  may  be  improved  by  thofe  who 
have  attended  to  it,  as  affording  matter  by  which  they 
may  examine  thcmfelves,  whether  their  converiion  and 
confequcnt  religion  be  true  and  genuine,  or  faifc  and 
fpurious. 

Have  you  been  effectually  cured  of  a  difpofition  to 
truft  to  your  own  righteoufnefs,  and  renounced  and  be- 
come dead  to  the  law  of  works,  under  a  clear  convic- 
tion that  you  Vv'ere  curfed  by  it,  notwithftanding  any 
thing  you  could  do,  and  that  you  lliould  be  juftly  ac- 
qurfed  forever,  unlcfs  you  obtained  relief  by  the  law  of 
faith,  trailing  in  the  merit  and  righteoufnefs  ot  Chrift 
for  pardon  and  juftification  ? 

And  have  you  been  led  to  underftand  and  cordially 
to  embrace  the  law  of  faith,  in  which  you  highly  ap- 
proved of  the  character  of  Chrift,  and  the  way  oi:  ialva- 
tion  by  him,  condemning  yourfeif  as  being  fo  far  from 
having  or  doing  any  thing  to  recommend  you  to  God, 
or  render  you  deferving,  that  you  were  iniinitely  guilty 
and  ill-deferving  ? 

Have  you  felt  and  experienced  this  law  of  faith,  luit- 
ed  to  deitroy  your  pride,  and  fet  you  at  the  greateft 
diftance  from  boalting,  and  the  more  you  underftood 
and  cordially  embraced  this  way  of  falvation,  the  more 
difpofed  you  have  been  to  humble  yourfeif  in  the  fight 
of  the  Lord  ? 

Do  you  know  that  your  heart  was  naturally  as  much 
oppofed  to  the  gofpel,  as  it  was  to  the  holy  law  of  God, 
and  that,  had  not  God  given  you  a  new  heart  by  re- 
generation, you  fhould  have  continued  an  enemy  to 
Chrift  ?  that  the  lav/  of  faith-  is  a  holy  law,  and  that  it 
cannot  be  complied  with  by  a  heart  unfriendly  to  God 

and 


278  THE    D^CREIiS   OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVII. 

and  holinefs  ?  that  the  more  you  attend  to  and  are 
pleafed  with  the  law  of  faith,  the  greater  is  your  aver- 
iion  from  lin,  and  the  more  you  long  to  be  holy,  and 
hunger  and  thirft  after  rightcoufnefs  ? 

Are  you  defiring  and  looking  for  that  evidence  that 
you  are  juftined  and  ihali  be  faved,  which  arifes  from  a 
confcioufnefs  that  you  do  embrace  the  gofpel,  and  have 
thofe  holy  exercifes  which  imply  this,  or  are  implied  in 
conforming  to  the  law  of  faith  f  and  do  you  defire  no 
other  evidence  but  this,  that  your  juftification  may  be 
proved  only  by  good  evidence  that  you  are  fanctified  ? 


pennon  xvii. 


WRITTEN     IN    THE    YEJiR,-    I7?9. 


Eccl.  iii.  14.     I  know  that  whatfoever  God  doth^  it  Jloall  bs 
forever  :  noibhig  can  he  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from 
it  ;  and  God  doth  it,  that  ?iien  Jhoidd  fear  before  him. 

'E  may  be  fure  that  the  Infinitely  Great,  Eter- 
nal, Omnifcent  Being,  who  is  the  Firft  and  the 
Laftjthe  Almighty,  does  nothing  for  an  end,  or  with  a  view 
to  accompliih  any  deiign,  wliich  is  temporarj^,  and  iliall 
wholly  ceafe  and  come  to  nothing,  fo  that  every  thing 
which  remains  fhall,  in  all  refpefls,  be  iuft  as  it  would 
have  been  had  he  Jiot  done  it.  For  this  would  be  infinite- 
ly unworthy  of  fuch  a  Being,  infinitely  beneath  him, 
and  unbecoming  his  charafter  :  it  would  be  really  more 
unbecoming  and  trifiinof,  than  for  a  man  to  do  all  he 
does  through  life  for  no  end  at  all,  were  this  poffible  ; 
or  for  the  greatefl  monarch  on  earth  to  fpend  his  life  in 
adtion  for  no  higher  and  more  important  ends  than  thofe 
which  children  have  in  v.'hat  they  do.  That  which 
Chafes  to  exifl  in  all  its  eitecls  and  confequences,  fo  that 

the 


SeRM.    XVII.       THE    FOUNDAtlON    OF    PIETY.  2/^ 

the  univerfe  is  in  no  refped;  better  or  otherwife  than  if 
it  had  not  been,  is  of  infinitely  lefs  worth  and  impor- 
tance, than  that  of  which  the  confequence  and  good  ef- 
feft,  or  the"  end  of  which,  is  without  end,  or  forever. 
Therefore  the  Infinitely  Great,  Wife  and  Good  Being 
will  do  nothing  but  that  which  fhail  anfwer  an  end 
which  never  Ihall  ceafc,  fo  that  the  confequence  and 
good  effe6l  of  it  fliall  exift  forever. 

If  this  vifible  world  were  to  ceafe  to  exift,  and  every 
effect  and  confequence  of  its  having  exifled  were  to 
ceafe  forever,  fo  that  no  end  u^ere  to  be  anfM'^ered  by  it 
but  what  took  place  during  the  exiftence  of  it  ;  and  no 
exiftence,  or  circumftance  of  exiftence,  fhould  be  in  any 
refpeft  otherwife  than  if  it  had  not  exifted  ;  it  would 
have  been  created,  and  preferved  during  the  exiftence 
of  it,  in  a  great  meafure,  if  not  altogether,  in  vain.  It 
is  certain  no  end  would  be  anfwercd  vv'orthy  of  the  In- 
finite Creator.  There  would  really  nothing  be  gained 
by  fuch  a  work  ;  all  would  be  loft.  Therefore  we  may 
be  fure  that  none  of  the  works  of  GOD  are  of  this  kind, 
but  every  thing  that  he  does,  will,  in  the  elfecl  and  con- 
fequence of  it,  exift  forever,  or  the  end  to  be  anfwered 
by  it  will  never  ceafe. 

The  natural  world  which  we  behold,  with  all  the  works 
of  man  in  it,  is  to  come  to  an  end,  at  leaft  as  to  the  form 
in  which  it  now  exifts,  when  the  end  of  the  exiftence  of 
it  is  anfwered,  but  that  end  which  was  deiigned  to  be  ac- 
compliflied  by  the  creation  and  continuation  of  the  ex- 
iftence of  it  will  remain  forever.  The  natural  world, 
the  fun,  moon  and  ftars,  with  this  earth,  and  all  the 
creatures  and  things  contained  in  them,  which  are  not 
capable  of  moral  agency,  and  moral  government — the 
natural  world  was  created,  and  is  upheld,  for  the  fake  of 
the  ?noral  worlds  and  thole  creatures  which  are  capable 
of  moral  government,  and  of  conformity  to  God  in 
moral  exercifes ;  as  a  houfe  is  built,  not  for  its  own  fake, 
but  for  the  fake  of  thofe  v/ho  are  to  live  in  it.  And 
when  this  world,  having  anUvered  the  end  with  refpe^i: 
to  the  moral  world  for  which  it  was  made  and  preferv- 
ed. 


280  THE    DECREES    Ot    eOD,-  SeRM.    XViT, 

ed,  OkiU  be  burnt  up,  the  moral  world,  and  all  moral 
agents,  will  cc'iitinue  forever,  with  all  the  effects  and 
coni'equciices  of  the  natural  world,  reipecting  the  moral 
world,  'Nvhjch  vv-ere  defigned  to  be  produced  by  creation 
and  providence. 

Hence  it  is  demonftrably  certain  that  moral  agents,  a*" 
leail  ibme  of  them  ;  and  \(  fotne  why  not  all  ?  will  exift 
without  end ;  for  they  cannot  anfwer  the  end  of  their 
exiilence,  and  the  end  of  all  thofe  works  of  God  which 
he  has  done  for  their  fake,  if  they  fhould  ceafe  to  exift  : 
they  muif  therefore  exiil  forever. 

l^t  will  apj)ear  evident  and  certain,  no  doubt,  if  duly 
conlidered,  that  moral  government  cannot  be  perfe<5lly 
or  properly  exercifed,  unlcfs  it  be  endlefs,  and  confe- 
quently,  unlefs  moral  agents,  the  only  fubiecls  of  this 
government,  continue  to  exift  forever.  This  is  evident 
from  the  text  v/e  are  coniidering,  and  what  has  been 
obfervcd  upon  it.  But  the  evidence  of  this  arifes  from 
another  view  of  this  point.  Moral  government  cannot 
be  exercifed  without  a  law  pointing  out  and  requiring 
the  duty  of  moral  agents,  and  fixing  the  penalty  of  dii- 
obedience,  and  maintaining  and  executing  this  law, 
agreeable  to  the  requirements  and  fanftions  of  it.  The 
puniiliment  which  a  tranfgrefllon  of  the  divine  law  de- 
ferves  is  endlefs  evil  or  fuflering  ;  and  thei-efore  this 
mull  be  the  penalty  of  the  law  of  God,  and  muft  be 
executed  on  the  tranfgrellbr,  unlefs  fomething  can  take 
,placc  to  anfwer  the  fame  end  ;  therefore  he  upon 
whom  this  penalty  is  executed,  muft  exift  forever,  in 
order  to  fuff'cr  the  penalty  of  the  law.  And  although 
it  be  not  eiicntial  to  the  law  of  God,  that  there  fhcuid 
be  an  cxprefs  promife  of  endlefs  life  to  the  obedient,  yet 
'the  threatening  of  evil  to  the  tranfgreifor  fecms  to  imply 
favor  to  the  obedient,  and  is  inconliftent  with  putting 
an  end  to  their  exiftence,  a}id  depriving  them  of  endlefs 
happinefs,  which  in  their  view,  and  in  reality,  would 
bean  infinite  ncgatrce  evil;  and  therefore  nmft  be  in- 
conliftent with  the  wifdom '  and  goodnefs  of  Go(^,  yea, 
•y^ith  his  dittributive  juftice  J    for  they  defer  veil  d  et^. 


SiRM.    XVn*      THE    FOUNDATION   OF    PIETY.  28 1 

fo  long  as  they  continue  obedient.  Therefore  nothing 
but  tranigrellion  can  put  an  end  to  the  exiftence  and 
happinefs  of  a  moral  agent :  it  hence  follows  that  they 
who  perrevere  in  obedience  mutt  exift  happy  forever, 
and  they  who  tranfgrefs  muft  fuffer  evil  without  end  ; 
confequently  every  moral  agent  muft  exiit  forever,  in 
order  to  the  proper  and  full  exercife  of  moral  govern- 
ment. Therefore  whatever  God  does  refpecting  moral 
agents,  (and  he  has  refpect:  to  thefe  in  all  he  does)  in 
this  fenfe,  (hall  be  forever  ;  he  has  a  view  to  an  endlefs 
duration,  and  aims  at  an  end  which  never  lliall  ceafe, 
but  mutt  exift  forever. 

It  has  been  obferved,  that  the  moral  world  is  the  end 
of  all  God's  works  ;  and  that  the  fubjecls  of  moral  go- 
vernment muft  exift  forever ;  and  that,  in  this  fenfe, 
all  that  God  does  fhall  be  forever.  But  the  fubjecls  of 
moral  government,  and  all  the  events  that  immediately 
relate  to  thenij  do  not  comprehend  all  the  moral  world : 
God  himfelf  muft  be  conlidered  as  included  in  this  ever- 
lafting,  moral  kingdom,  as  the  Supreme  Head  and  Eter- 
nal King  of  it.  And  he,  being  infinitely  greater,  more 
important  and  worthy  of  regard  than  any  or  all 
creatures,  muil  therefore  be  the  end  of  all  that  is  done  : 
that  is,  he  muft  make  himfelf  the  higheft  and  laft  end, 
and  do  all  for  kimfef,  as  the  fcripture  aflerts  :  "  The 
Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  hinfef*  The  exercife^ 
manifeftation  and  difplay  of  his  own  perfetflions  and 
glory  muft  be  the  fupreme  end  of  all  the  works  of  God, 
which  neceiTarily  includes  the  greateft  pollible  happinefs 
of  the  obedient  fubjecls  of  his  moral  kingdom  ;  which 
therefore  muft  be  forever,  or  without  end :  for  a 
temporary  difplay  of  the  Divine  Glory,  and  the  tempo- 
rary happinefs  and  glory  of  the  moral  Idngdom  of  God^ 
would  be  infinitely  iefs  than  an  eternal  and  increafmg 
duration  of  thefe,  and  nothing  in  comparifon  with  this. 
In  this  view,  we  fee  how  whatfoever  God  doth  is  for- 
ever. His  defign  in  all  he  does  is  his  own  glory,  in  his 
everlafting  kingdom.  This  is  his  end,  and  the  iffue  of 
idl  is  this,  which  fliall  have  no  end.  The  kingdom  of 
O  o  Ggd 


283t  .  THE    DECREES    OF    COD,  SeRM.    XVIL 

God  Is  an  cvcrlajVuig  kingdom,  and  of  his  dominion  and 
glory  there  will  be  no  end  ;  whicli  is  abundantly  affert^ 
cd  in  fcriptufe,  we  all  know.  And  this  kingdom,  glory 
and  dominion  is  the  end  of  all  God's  works.  There- 
fore every  thing  he  doth  lliaii  be  forever  ;  it  hath  no 
end  in  his  deiign^  and  in  the  effed  and  confequence^ 
Nothing  can  be  more  certain  than  this. 

2.  It  is  aii'erted  in  thefe  words,  that  God  has  fixed  a 
plan  of  operation,  including  all  his  works,  all  he  doth 
or  will  do  in  time  and  to  eternity ;  and  that  he  is  exe- 
cuting this  plan  or  defign  in  all  he  doth  :  all  his  works 
having  reference  to  this,  and  being  included  in  it. 
This  is  implied  in  the  former  particular.  For  if  in  all 
God  doth  he  hath  refpecl  to  that  which  is  endlefs,  he 
mull  have  formed  a  defign,  and  fixed  a  plan  of  opera- 
tion, which  is  endlefs,  including  all  he  will  do,  and  all 
events,  to  eternity.  This  the  fcripture  abundantly  af- 
lerts  :  "  He  worketh  all  things  according  to  the  counfel 
of  his  own  will.  The  counfel  of  the  Lord  ftandeth 
forever,  and  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  generations  :'* 
\_Pfal.  xxxiii.  1 1.]  "  He  is  in  one  mind,  and  who  can 
turn  him  ?  And  what  his  foul  defireth,  even  that  he 
doth  :"  VJob  xxiii.  13.]  "  Known  unto  God  are  all  his 
works  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  :'*  \_Ails  xv.  18.  J 
And,  if  we  attend  to  the  point,  we  cannot  but  know 
that  it  muft  be  fo,  it  being  impoHible  that  it  Ihould  be 
otherwife  ;  for  to  fuppofe  the  contrary  is  to  fuppofe 
God  is  changeable^  which  is  inconliftent  with  infinite  per- 
feftion,  and  with  his  being  infallible,  and  to  be  trutted 
in  all  cafes.  Indeed,  if  there  were  not  a  Being  who  is 
unchangeable,  there  would  be  no  God.  Befides,  if  God 
be  infinite  in  power,  knowledge,  wifdom  and  goodnefs, 
which  he  certainly  is,  then  he  is  able,  and  could  not 
but  fix  upon  a  plan  of  operation,  including  all  he  would 
do,  all  his  works  of  creation  and  providence,  without 
•  end,  or  forever.  He  could  not  but  propofe  an  end  of 
all  his  works,  and  lay  the  wifeft  plan  to  accomplifh  that 
end.  Not  to  do  this  muft  manifeft  want  of  wildom, 
or  of  atfihty,  an4  therefore  would  be  iiiconfiilent  with 
i*-  infinite 


3hrm.  XVII.     the  foundation  -of  n^ty.  283 

infinite  power  and  wifdom.  It  is  impofuble  he  fliould  not 
know  what  is  wiieft  and  beft  to  be  done  in  every  inftance 
to  eternity  :  he  is  able  to  do  it,  for  nothing  can  be  in 
the  way  to  prevent  his  doing  it :  and  it  is  equally  im- 
poffibie  he  fhould  be  infinitely  wife  and  good,  and  not 
fix  upon  and  execute  the  wifeft  and  beft  plan  of  opera- 
tion. Nothing  can  be  more  evident  and  certain  than 
this.  Well  may  we  join  with  Solomon,  and  fay,  "  We 
know,  that  whatfoever  God  doth,  it  ftiall  be  forever.'* 
He  has  propofed  infinitely  the  beft  poflible  end,  which 
cannot  be  accompliflied  in  time,  but  by  an  everlafting 
feries  of  works  :  he  has  fixed  upon  the  wifeft  plan  to 
anfwer  this  end,  and  all  he  doth  has  reference  to  this 
end :  and  the  effeft  and  confequence  of  all  his  works, 
for  the  fake  of  which  they  are  done,  will  remain  for- 
ever. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  confider  the  following  words : 
^'  Nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it.'* 
Thefe  are  part  of  the  fame  fentence,  and  have  refpect  to 
the  foregoing,  and  affert,  that  nothing  can  be  put  or  ad- 
ded to  what  God  doth,  or  taken  from  it.  In  thefe 
words  the  following  particulars  are  expreffed  or  implied ; 
which  alfo  imply  each  other. 

I.  Thefe  words  contain  a  more  ftrong  and  exprefs 
declaration  than  the  foregoing  ;  That  the  divine  plan  of 
his  endlcfs  operations,  including  every  thing  which  he 
doth  and  will  do  to  eternity,  is  unalterably  fixed,  fo  that 
it  is  impofiible  that  any  change  or  alteration  fhould  be 
made,  in  any  refpecl:,  or  in  the  leaft  degree.  His  de- 
figns  are  fixed  from  eternity.  He  has  determined  what 
he  will  do,  and  v/hat  he  will  not  do,  in  every  inftance, 
greater  or  lefs.  And  his  plan  admits  of  no  alteration  ; 
nothing  can  be  added  to  it,  or  taken  from  it.  It  has 
been  obferved,  that  this  is  abundantly  allerted  in  fcrip- 
ture,  and  that  reafon  teaches  it  muft  be  fo  ;  and  that  to 
deny  this,  or  ever  doubt  it,  is  to  deny  or  doubt  of  the 
cxiftence  of  a  God,  fupreme,  omnipotent,  infinitely,  in- 
telligent, wife  and  good. 

2,     Thefe 


284  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIL 

2.  Thefe  words  imply  that  all  things,  and  every 
event  from  the  greateft  to  the  leaft,  from  the  firft  to  the 
Jaft,  are  included  in  the  divine  plan,  and  are  unalterably 
iixed  by  the  counfcl  and  decree  of  God.  This  muft  be 
fb,  unlefs  creatures  and  things  may  exift,  and  events 
may  take  place,  independent  of  God,  and  with  which 
his  power  and  operation  has  no  concernj  without  the 
leaft  dependence  on  his  determination  and  will,  and,  it 
may  be,  contrary  to  it  ;  which  no  rational  man  can  ad- 
mit, as  it  is  abfolutely  irapoilible. 

If  all  the  works  of  God  are  known  to  him,  which 
they  could  not  be,  uniefs  he  had  determined  and  fixed 
what  he  will  do ;  then  every  thing,  every  event  which 
Ihali  take  place  or  exift,  muft  be  known,  and  confequent- 
ly  certain,  and  made  foby  the  divine  decree,  determining 
what  he  would  do.  If  any  one  event,  even  the  leaft 
that  can  take  place,  were  not  fixed,  but  uncertain  whe- 
ther it  wiii  take  place  or  not ;  then  what  God  will  do,  fo 
far  as  his  works  refpeci:  that  event,  muft  be  uncertain, 
and  cann  or  be  known  or  fixed.  Therefore  God,  by  deter* 
mining  his  own  works,  equally  determined  and  fixed 
what  every  creature  fliQuId  be  and  do,  as  the  latter  is  ne- 
ceilarily  included  in  the  former.  The  divine  will  and 
operation  has  refpe<ft  to,  and  concern  with,  every  thing, 
every  event,  even  the  leaft  that  takes  place  ;  and  it  comes 
to  pafs  and  aftually  exifts  by  fome  aft  of  his,  without 
which  it  could  not  take  place,  whether  it  be  in  the  na- 
tural or  moral  world.  The  exiftence,  the  time  and  cir- 
cumftances  of  the  exiftence,  of  every  bird,  even  the  leaft, 
and  the  time  and  means  of  its  beginning  and  ceafing  to 
exift,  are  all  fixed  by  what  God  does.  Every  hair  of  our 
heads,  and  of  every  head,  and  creature,  that  ever  did  or 
fball  exift,  is  made  by  God.  He  numbers  them  all,  and 
orders  every  cireumftance,  the  growth,  length,  bignefs, 
life,  decay  and  lofs,  or  difpofal,  of  each  one.  Every 
tree  on  the  earth,  every  plant,  leaf  and  fpire  of  grafs,  he 
produces  by  his  power,  energy  and  care.  He  caufes  eve- 
ry drop  of  rain  or  hail,  and  every  flake  of  fnow,  that 
falls,  and  deiermines  the  bignefs,  the  fliapc  and  time  of 

the 


Serm.  XVIT.     the  foundation  of  pix;ty.  285 

the  falling  of  each  one.  All  thefc  arc  the  work  of  God,  as 
are  innumerable  others,  whether  greater  or  left.  Thefe 
therefore  muft  be  all  fixed  front  eternity,  by  Him  who 
worketh  all  things  according  to  the  coi^nfel  of  his  owA 
will. 

And  it  is  equally  certain  that  every  event,  and  all  that 
comes  to  pafs  in  the  moral  worlds  depends  upon  the  will 
and  determination  of  God,  and  could  not  exift,  if  he 
determined  and  did  nothing  concerning  it.  Every  ac- 
tion of  moral  agents,  and  every  perception,  motion  and 
every  thought  which  takes  place  in  their  hearts  or  minds, 
is  comprehended  in  what  God  doth,  and  is  efTefted  by 
his  power  and  operation.  "  The  heart  of  the  king," 
and  confequently  of  all  men,  "  is  in  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  rivers  of  water  :  he  turneth  it  ivhhherfoe'ver 
he  ivilW  Every  thing  in  the  moral  world,  even  the  leaft 
motion  and  thought  of  the  heart,  is  of  unfpeakabi}-  more 
importance  than  the  events  in  the  natural  world,  and 
are  as  much  dependent  on  the  will  and  operation  of  God; 
and  therefore  muft  be  as  much  fixed  and  certain,  /nd 
this  is  necefiariiy  implied,  in  God's  determining  and  fix- 
ing what  he  will  do,  fo  that  there  can  be  no  alteration  of 
his  plan  of  operation  ;  nothing  put  to  it,  or  taken  from 
it,  for  it  comprehends  all  things,  and  all  events,  great  and 
fmall,  which  fhail  take  place  and  exift  from  the  beginning 
of  time,  to  eternity. 

Thus  certain  is  it  from  this  text,  as  well  as  from  in- 
numerable other  palTages  of  fcripture,  and  from  the  rea- 
fon  and  nature  of  things,  that  God  has,  by  determining 
what  he  would  do,  neceffarily  "  foreordained  ivhatfocver 
comes  to  pafs,** 

3.  Thefe  words  aflert  that  the  divine  plan  of  opera- 
tion, which  is  endlefs,  and  includes  all  things  and  every 
event  that  ever  did  or  Ihall  take  place,  is  the  wifeft  and 
beji  that  can  be  ;  fo  that  to  make  any  alteration  in  it,  in 
any  refpect  or  the  leaft  degree,  to  take  any  thing  from  it, 
or  add  any  thing  to  it,  which  is  not  included  in  it,  wouici 
render  it  lefs  perfed,  wife  and  good.  In  this  refpecl:, 
"  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it,** 

withcLt 


•^t6  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVlf» 

-wifhout  hurting  or  marring  it,  and  rendering  it  lefs  per- 
fecl:,  wife  and  good  j  therefore   it    is  impoflible  there 
ftiould  be  the  leall  alteration,  in  any  thing  or  circumftance, 
{o  long  as  God  is  omnipotent,  infinitely  wife  and  good. 
"  His  work  is  perfect ;"  which  includes  the  whole  creat- 
ed' univerfe,  with  every  thing  from  the  greateft  to  the 
ieaft,  and  all  events  and  circumftances  of  events,  even  the 
moft  minute  and  inconliderable,  which  take  place  in  time 
and  eternity.     It  is  impoffible  it  fliould  be  otherwife,  if 
God  be  omnipotent,    infinitely  wife  and  good.       The 
work  of  fuch  a  Being  muft  be,  like  himfelf,  abfolutely 
prfed.     He  muft  know  what  was  the  moft  wife  and 
beft  plan,  and  therefore   the  moft  delirable.      He  was 
able  to  form  and  execute  fuch  a  plan,  and  his  wifdom 
and   goodnefs    muft  be    picafed   with  it  :    which    will 
anfwer  the  beft  end,  and  includes  all  poflible  good,  apd 
excludes  every  thing  which  would  render  it  lefs  perfect, 
and  is,  on  the  whole,  undefirable.     Of  this  we  may  b& 
as  certain  as  we  can  be  that   there  is  a  God,  who  is. 
fupreme,  omnipotent,   infinitely    wife  and  good,  wha. 
hath  done,  and  will  do,  what  he  pleafes,  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  and  in  all  the  created  univerfe,  and  that  for- 
ever. 

Thus  we  find  Solomon  afferting,  in  the  words  under 
coiifideration,  what  he  biew  to  be  an  important  and 
moft  evident  and  certain  truth,  viz.  that  God's  plan  oi 
operation  is  endlefs,  is  unalterably  fixed,  and  compre- 
hends all  thin2:s,  and  all  events  which  ever  exift  or  take 
place,  and  that  this  divine  plan,  including  all  the  creat- 
ed univerfe,  and  every  event  and  circumftance  which 
will  take  place  to  eternity,  is  moft  wife  and  good,  being 
abfolutely  perfsd  ;  fo  that  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor 
any  thing  taken  from  it,  without  making  it  lefs  perfect 
and  good.  This  truth  is  abundantly  aflerted  in  divine 
revelation,  and  is  evident  to  a  demonftration  from  the 
reafon  and  nature  of  things.  And  to  deny  or  doubt  of 
it,  is  in  efFed  to  deny  or  doubt  of  the  being  of  a  God, 
who  is  fupreme,  infinitely  wife  and  good.  This  truth 
i§3.£oncifcly,  though  fully,  exprcfled  by  the  Aiiembly 
-    '  of 


Serm.  XVIT.     the  foundation  of  piety. 


287 


of  Divines  at  Weftminifter,  in  their  fhortcr  catcchifm, 
in  the  following  words  :  "  The  decrees  of  God  are  his 
eternal  piirpofe,  according  to  the  counfel  of  his  own 
will,  whereby,  for  his  own  glory,  he  hath  foreordain- 
ed ivbatfocver  comes  to  ptifs.  And  he  executeth  his  decrees 
in  the  works  of  creation  and  providence.  His  works 
of  providence  are,  his  moft  holy,  wife  and  powerful 
preferving  and  governing  all  his  creatures,  and  all  their 
adions.** 

This  is  a  do<5trine  of  divine  revelation,  and  mbft  agree- 
able to  reafon,  to  wifdom,  and  benevolence  ;  and  they- 
who  exercife  thefe,  in  any  good  degree,  muft  be  plcafed' 
with  it.  For,  according  to  this,  nothing  does  or  can  take 
place,  but  that  which  is  w^ifeft  and  bcft,  and  necefikry  for 
the  greateft  general  good  ;  every  thing  and  every  event, 
the  greateft  and  the  leaft,  being  under  the  diteclion  of 
iniinite  wifdom,  recVitude  and  benevolence,  and  ordain- 
ed and  fixed  by  thefe.  To  have  fuch  a  plan,  which  in- 
cludes all  the  works  of  God,  and  every  event,  motion  and 
action  in  the  creation,  in  time  and  to  eternity,  formed  by 
infinite  wifdom  and  ocoodnefs,  exaftlv  fuited  to  accom- 
pliih  the  beft  end,  including  all  poflible  good,  and  ex- 
cluding every  thing  which,  on  the  whole,  is  undefira- 
ble ;  to  have  fuch  a  plan,  unalterably  fixed  forever,  fo 
that  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from 
it,  muft  be  moft  agreeable  to  the  upright,  wife  and  good  : 
and  that  perfon  who  iinderjiandingly  oppofes  it,  and 
whofe  hekrt  is  difpleafed  with  it,  muft  be  wholly  defti- 
tute  of  all  thefe. 

This  is  fuited  to  pleafe  the  truly  pious  mind,  to  fap- 
port  and  comfort  fuch  an  one,  and  to  excite  all  thofe 
affe<ftions  and  exercifes  in  which  true,  genuine  piety 
confifts.  And  all  the  truths  and  fads  included  in  this 
divine,  unalterable  plan,  are  adapted  to  promote  and  ef- 
fecl  the  moft  perfect  virtue,  piety  and  holinefs  :  and 
were  not  this  a  truth,  there  could  not  be  any  fuch  thing 
as  piety  or  true  religion  among  creatures. 
;  This  leads   to   confider  and  explain  the  concluding 

words 


'^■<ix 


</^\ 


2§0  THE    D£CR£E5    OF    GOD^  SeRM.    XVlt 

words  in  the  text,  in  which  this  is  afferted  :  "  And  God 
doth  it,  that  men  fhould  fear  before  him.'* 

By  the  fear  of  God,  fearing  him,  or  fearing  before 
him,  wliich  is  the  fame,  is  meant  the  exercife  of  that  true 
piety  and  religion  which  is  pecuHar  to  good  men,  and 
diftinguifhes  them  from  the  wicked.  In  this  fenfe  the 
phrafe  isufed  in  numerous  places  both  in  the  Old  Tef- 
tament  and  the  New,  of  which  every  one  mull  be  fenli- 
ble  who  reads  the  Bible  with  attention  and  care.  It  is 
needicfs  therefore  to  mention  paflages  to  prove  it  ;  I 
ihall,  however,  cite  one^  which  is  in  this  book  \  \_chap» 
viii.  1 2,  13  :]  "  Surely  I  know  that  it  ihall  be  well  vvith 
them  that  fear  God,  ivhich  fear  before  him :  but  it  iliall 
not  be  well  with  the  wicked,  becaufe  he  fearcth  not  before 

Qodr 

I  ft'  God  doth  it,  that  men  may  fear  before  him  ;"  That 
is,  he  has  formed  this  wife  and  perfect  plan  of  opera- 
tion, which  is  unalterable,  as  the  proper  and  only  foun- 
dation of  the  exercife  of  piety  and  holinefs  by  creatures ; 
and  every  thing  God  does  in  executing  this  plan  is  fuit- 
ed  to  excite  and  promote  this,  and  bring  it  to  the  great- 
er perfection,  which  is  included  in  his  endlefs  delign  ; 
and  holinefs  fliall  be  exercifed  in  tiie  moft  perfect  man-i 
ner  and  degree,  and  flourifli  under  the  beft  advantages, 
in  his  hm^dom,  forever.  This  is  God's  everlafting  end, 
for  which  he  does  and  orders  every  thing  and  event  in 
the  univerfe,  viz.  his  own  glory,  manifefted  and  difplay- 
ed  in  the  everlafting  holinefs  and  happinefs  of  creatures, 
in  his  eternal  kingdom.  And  the  exiftence  and  know- 
ledge of  fuch  a  fixed  and  endlefs  plan  of  divine  operation 
is  the  only  proper  foundation  for  the  exercife  of  true  pi- 
ety ;  it  is  fuited  to  excite  the  exercife  of  holinefs  in 
creatures ;  and  there  cannot  be  any  true  piety  which  is 
exercifed  and  praftifed  in  oppolition  to  this  truth,  but 
all  true  religion  is  in  perfect  conformity  with  it. 

This  I  fliall  endeavour  to  illuflrate  and  prove  by  con- 
fidering  what  true  piety  is,  by  mentioning  the  feveral 
branches  of  it,  in  which  it  is  exercifed  ;  and,  at  the  fame 
time,  Ihcwing  that  thefe  exercifes  of  piety  are  confiftent 

with 


!flER.M.    XVir.       THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  289 

with  this  truth,  and  naturally  flow  from  it  as  the  pro- 
per foundation  of  them. 

I.  Love  to  God. is  neceflarily  included  in  true  piety; 
fo  that  where  there  is  no  degree  of  this  there  is  no  real 
feligion.  Indeed,  this  comprehends  all  the  excrciles  of 
piety,  and  is  the  fum  and  whole  of  it,  as  every  exercifc 
of  piety,  called  by  different  names,  and  differing  in  fome 
refpccls,  are  only  different  moaiiications  of  this  fame  af- 
fection of  LOVE.  Therefore  love  to  God  is  required,  as 
comprehending  every  exercife  of  true  piety.  "  Thou 
Ihalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  foul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  firff 
and  great  commandme'nt."  That  is  all  the  affection 
that  is  required,  as  it  immediately  refpefts  God,  and 
therefore  includes  the  whole  of  true  piety.  This  love 
confifts  in  benevolence  or  friendly  affeflicn  towards 
God,  complacency  and  delight  in  him,  and  gratitude  to 
him.  Benevolence  regards  him  as  at  the  head  of  the 
univerfe,  infinitely  great,  omnipotent  and  fupreme ; 
all  the  creation  being  as  nothing,  compared  with  him, 
and  abfolutely  in  his  hands  and  at  his  controul,  made 
and  ufed  for  him  ;  He  being  the  only  necefTary  and  all 
important  Being,  his  intereft,  honour  and  glory  being 
the  fuprem.e  end  of  all,  while  he  is  capable  of  infinite 
fehcity,  and  actually  poffeffes  it,  being  unchangeable  in 
his  being,  perfedions,  defigns  and  happinefs,  infinitely 
wife,  righteous  and  good  ; — I  fay,  benevolence  regards 
God  as  fiich  a  Benign  and  is  gratified  and  pleafed  in  the 
highefl;  degree  in  fuch  a  character  ;  and  the  language  of 
the  benevolent  heart  is,  "  Let  God  reign  forever  in  un- 
changeable felicity  and  glory  :  let  him  be  glorified  by 
all  things,  and  his  praife  be  without  end  ;  let  his  counfel 
itand  forever,  and  let  it  be  impoffible  that  any  thing 
Ihould  exilt  or  take  place  but  what  he  orders,  and  fays. 
Let  it  be  :  Be  thou  exalted,  O  Lord,  above  the  heavens, 
and  thy  glory  above  all  the  earth  !  Let  his  infinitely 
wife,  righteous  and  benevolent  v/ill  be  done  in  heaven 
and  earth,  and  through  ail  his  dominions,  forever  and 
ever,  Amen.'* 

P  P  Is 


♦go  tHE    DECREES    OF    SOBj      .      SeRM.    )tVIK 

Is  it  not  eafy  to  fee,  muft  it  not  appear  with  irrefiftible 
evidence,  to  all  who  will  calmly  attend,  that  every  be- 
nevolent friend  of  God  muft  be  pleafed  that  he  has  laid 
and  fixed  an  unalterable  plan,  fuch  as  beft  pleafed  him, 
comprehending  every  thing  and  ail  events  that  are  dehra- 
ble,  and  neceflary  to  anfwer  the  beft  purpofe,  to  eternity, 
he  being,  in  this,  independent,  and  infinitely  above  the 
controul  of  creatures ;  fo  that  it  is  impoffible  that  it  iliould 
not  take  place,  in  every  particular,  and  moft  minute  cir- 
cumiftance,  juft  as  he  has  determined  from  eternity, 
without  a  poftibiiity  of  his  being  crofted  or  difappointed 
in  any  inftance  ?  And  is  not  all  this  comprehended  in 
the  pious,  benevolent  boaft  and  exultation  of  the  Pfalm- 
ift  ?  "  But  our  God  is  in  the  heavens  ;  be  hath  done  whatfoc* 
^ver  he -pleafed.  For  I  know  that  the  Lord  is  great,  and  that 
«cvr  Lord  is  above  all  gods.  Whatfoever  the  Lord  pleafed^ 
that  did  he  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  in  the  feas,  and  in  all 
deep  places.'*  Such  a  Being,  profecuting,  without  a 
poihbility  of  any  miftake  or  hindrance,  fuch  a  grand, 
comprehenftve,  eternal  plan,  formed  and  fixed  by  infinite 
wifdom  and  benevolence,  muft  be  the  higheft  poftible  ob- 
je6l  of  the  benevolence  of  man,  and  is  moft  perfectly, 
and  to  the  higheft  degree,  fuited  to  pleafe  and  gratify 
fuch  an  affection  ;  on  which  it  may  expatiate  with  the 
higheft  pleafure,  and  without  limitation  as  to  the  object, 
and  with  increaftng  ftrength,  forever. 

But  if  there  be  no  fuch  fupreme,  independent  Being, 
who  is  able  to  propofe  and  effe<5fc  the  greateft  poftible 
good,  and  is  infinitely  engaged  to  do  it,  and  has  laid  an 
unalterable  plan,  including  every  thing  that  is  wife  and 
good,  and  nothing  but  what  is  moft  agreeable  to  infinite 
benevolence,  the  whole  being  confidered  together,  but 
many  events  have  already  taken  place,  the  exiftence  of 
which  are  difa;2;reeable  to  infinite  wifdom  and  benevo- 
lence, all  things  confidered,  which  are  not  included  in 
the  moft  wife  and  benevolent  plan,  but  have  taken  place 
independent  of  God,  and  exift  contrary  to  his  will  that 
they  iliould  exift,  and  fo  that  God  wdil  not  be  fo  much 
glorified  nor  fo  happy  as  he  would  have  been  had  they 

not 


SeRM.    XVn.      'S'Hl    FOUNDATION   OIF    PIETY.  2f  | 

not  taken  place,  and  there  will  be  much  lefs  good  in  the 
univerfe  forever  than  there  might  have  been  had  they 
been  prevented  ;  then  there  is  no  God  to  be  loved,  and 
be  the  objed  of  benevolent,  friendly  affection,   which 
fhall  be  completely  pleafed  and  fatisfied  in  him.     For 
he  muft  be  either  impotent  and  dependent,  and  unable 
to  effed  that  which  is  moil  agreeable  to  wifdom  and 
goodnefs,  and  therefore  is  difappointed  and  crofTed,  if 
he  be  wife  and  good  ;  or  he  has  no  wifdom  or  goodnefs, 
though  he  is  omnipotent,  and  fo  has  fuifered  that  to  take 
j)lace  which  was  not  beft  on  the  whole,  that  it  fhould 
exift,  and  is  contrary  to  benevolence  and  wifdom,  when 
he  was  able  to  prevent  it,  if  he  pleafed.     If  the  latter  v/erc 
true,  all  muft  acknowledge  he  could  not  be  the  object  of 
love,  of  benevolent,  friendly  affe6lion.     And  if  the  for- 
mer, and  not  the  latter,  were  true,  all  muft  be  fenfible 
that  he  could  not  be  an  objed  with  which  benevolent 
affection  can  be  pleafed  and  fatisfied  :  but  if  it  were  ex- 
ercifed  towards  him,  it  muft  be  in  pity  and  grief  for  him, 
and  inextinguifhabie  forrow  that  he  was  not  able  to  lay 
and  profecute  the  beft  plan  without  interruption,  but  is 
dependent,  difappointed  and  crofTed,  and  moft  unhap- 
py, and  muft  be  fo  forever  i     The  benevolent  friends  to 
llich  a  Being,  and  to  benevolence,  muft  be  croffed  and 
miferable,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  their  benevo- 
lence, while  the  enemies  to  fuch  a  Being,  were  it  pollible 
there  could  be  fuch  an  one,  which,  bleffed  be  God  !  it  is  ^ 
not,  'u^'ould  be  gratified  and  triumph.     And  as  fuch  a 
Being  muft  be  infinitely  lefs  important  and  glorious,  he 
muft  be  an  infinitely  lefs  worthy  objeft  of  benevoiencQ, 
than  he  whom  the  truth  we  are  vindicating  defcribes. 

And  furely  every  one  who  attends  properly  muft  fee 
that,  on  this  lafl  fuppolition,  fuch  a  Being  could  not  be 
the  object  of  the  complacency  and  delight  of  a  benevo- 
lent heart.  This  is  clear,  from  v/hat  has  been  faid  refped- 
ing  benevolence  :  for  pious,  holy  complacency  and  de- 
Ught  in  an  object  or  charafter,  is  nothing  different  from 
the  fatisfadion  and  pleafure  which  benevolence  has  in 
that  being  or  character.    Therefore  if  there  be  any  thin^ 

in 


tg2  THE    D£CREE5    OF    GOD,  S^RM.    XVlL 

in  a  being  contrary  and  difpleafing  to  benevolence,  and 
oppofed  to  what  that  feeks,  it  muft  be  equally  oppofcd. 
to  complacency  and  delight,  and  contrary  to  it.  To  iup- 
pofe  the  contrary  is  aflat  contradiction. 

It  is  equally  apparent  that  the  God  who  is  exhibited 
in  our  text,  as  it  has  been  now  underflood  and  explain- 
ed, mud  be  the  firll  and  higliefi:  object  of  complacential 
love,  as  it  has  been  fhewn  that  he  is  mited  to  gratify  and 
pleafe  benevolence  to  the  highell  degree  ;  for  the  pleafure 
which  the  benevolent  heart  takes  in  any  object,  is  the 
fame  with  complacence  and  delight  in  that  object,  as 
has  been  juft  now  oblerved.  Therefore  that  being  or 
character  with  w^hich  the  benevolent  heart  is  nioft  pleaf- 
ed  and  gratified,  is  the  fupreme  object  of  complacential 
love. 

The  benevolent  heart  muft  be  pleafed  with  unbound- 
ed, infinite  benevolence,  clothed  with,  omnipotence, 
fixing  and  executing  an  endlefs  plan,  including  the  high- 
eft  poiTible  good,  in  v/hich  God  will  be  glorified  in  the. 
higheft  degree,  and  his  fervants  and  kingdom  moft  hap- 
py and  glorious  forever,  and  wdiich  admits  no  evil  but 
that  which  is  neceilary  to  anfwer  the  beft  end,  and  pro- 
mote the  greateft  good,  and  render  the  fyftem,  the  uniir' 
verfal  plan,  infinitely  better,  more  wife  and  beautiful, 
than  it  could  be,  were  the  evil  excluded.  Such  a  Be- 
ing, of  unchangeable  perfection,  infinite  benevolence, 
wifdom,  rectitude,  truth  and  faithfulnefs,  muft  be  em- 
braced by  the  benevolent  heart,  wdth  the  warmeft  and 
moft  ftroiig  afteftion  ;  he  muft  be  chofen  as  the  fupreme 
good,  as  the  object  of  the  higheft  complacence  and  de- 
light. God  is  exhibited  to  fuch  a  mind  as  fuch  a  Being, 
and  in  this  amiable  light,  in  forming  and  executing 
fuch  a  plan,  comprehending  all  poilible  good^  and  includ- 
ing every  thing  that  exifts,  and  every  event  that  iliaU 
take  place  to  eternity  ;  being  exactly  fuited,  in  every 
refpeft,  to  manifeft  and  difplay  the  divine  perfection 
and  glory,  in  the  felicity  and  glory  of  his  eternal  king- 
dom, and  which  could  not  be  akcv'cd,  in  the  leaft  de- 
gree, without  rendering  it  lefs  periect  and  good^.     On 

this 


S£RM.    XVII.       THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  tg^ 

this  Being,  and  on  fuch  a  fyftem,  including  all  things 
that  exift,  or  Ihall  take  place — on  this  abfolutely  and  in- 
finitely perfect  Being,  and  his  all-perfect  work,  the  pious 
mind  will  dwell  with  increafing  fatisfaiftion  and  ever 
frefh  delight  forever  and  ever.  But  were  there  no  un- 
changeable God,  abfolutely  independent  and  fovereign, 
and  doing  whatfoever  he  pleafes,  forming  and  execut- 
ing the  wifell  and  bsft  plan  of  operation  to  eternity,  and 
including  and  fixing  every  event,  there  would  be  no 
liich  objecl  of  fupreme  affection  and  delight  to  the 
pious,  benevolent  mind,  to  be  embraced  with  unreferv- 
ed  love,  and  unlimited  or  unalloyed  fatisfaction  and  plea- 
fure.  Yea,  were  this  God  and  his  plan  of  operation  ca- 
pable of  any  pollible  alteration  or  change,  to  eternity, 
it  would  give  pain  to  the  benevolent  heart,  and  be  aa 
eternal  impediment  to  perfect  love  and  happinefs. 

The  pcrfon  whofe  heart  is  wholly  feliiih,  and  knows 
not  what  difinierejied  love  means,  and  whofe  mind  is 
confequently  contracted  down  to  his  own  litiic  felf,  and 
fixed  on  his  own  perfonal  concerns,  does  not  extend  his 
thoughts  and  afections  to  thofe  grand  objects,  the  glo- 
ry of  God,  and  the  greateft  general  good  of  the  univerfe. 
lie  really  loves  nothing  but  himfelf ;  and  he  cannot  be 
pleafed  with  a  God  on  whom  he  is  wholly  dependent, 
unlefs  he  knovv-^s,  or  thinks  he  knows,  that  he  is  wholly 
devoted  to  his  intereft,  and  will  accomplifh  all  hXsfelfijJ) 
defires  and  wiflies.  He  muft  be  difpleafed  with,  he  muit 
hate,  a  God  who  is  of  one  mind,  and  cannot  be  turned  by 
him  ;  who  has  fixed  his  plan  of  working,  including  eve- 
ry thing  that  takes  place  ;  and  who  is  unchangeably 
feeking  the  greateft  general  good  of  the  univerfe,  how- 
ever inconliftent  this  may  be  with  his  particular  interejl 
and  happinefs  ;  and  who  will  not  regard  that,  but  give  it 
up,  whenever  the  greateft  public  good  requires  it ;  be- 
ing determined,  without  a  pofiibility  of  change,  to 
punifli  forever  every  perfevering  enemy  to  his  charac- 
ter and  government.  Such  a  creature  cannot  love  any 
God,  unlefs  he  will  conform  to  his  will,  and  is,  in  fome 
iiieafure  at  leaft,  dependent  on  him,  and  waits  on  him 

to 


*194  '''^^S    DECREES    OF    GOB,  SeRM.    TVlll 

to  know  what  he  will  choofe  and  do,  independent  of 
Gcd,  before  he  can  determine  any  thing  refpecting  him  ; 
(o  that  he  himfelf  llrall  independently  turn  the  fcale  in  every 
thing  that  concerns  himfelf;  and  God  mull  attend  him 
as  his  tool  or  fervant,  to  confult  his  intereft,  and  anfwer 
his  ends.  Th^  language  of  his  heart  is,  "  I  would  not 
have  a  God  abfolutely  independent,  and  unchangeable 
in  his  defigns  and  decrees,  refpecling  me  and  my  inr 
tereft.  What  is  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  general 
good,  to  ;;<'<?,  if  m.y  own  perfonal  intereft  and  happinefs 
Lc  not  regarded  and  included ;  if  my  felfifli  inclination 
and  will  be  not  gratified,  but  croiTed  ?  I  cannot  love 
fucli  a  God."  Direiflly  the  reverfe  of  this  is  the  feeling' 
and  language  of  the  benevolent  heart,  which  has  beea 
reprefented  above. 

I  proceed  to  confider  love  as  it  is  exercifed  and  ex- 
preiled  in  gratitude  ;  and  to  fliew  that  the  God  of  the 
Bible,  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counfel  of  his 
own  \\ill,  and  is  executing  a  plan  in  the  moft  wife 
manner,  fuited  to  anfwer  the  beft  end,  and  which  com- 
prehends all  his  works,  and  every  event  through  end- 
iefs  duration,  that  this  God  is  the  proper,  infinite  obje6b 
of  the  pious,  everlafting  gratitude  of  a  benevolent  heart. 
Benevolence  or  goodnefs,  exercifed  and  exprefled,  is  the 
only  objecl:  of  true,  pious  gratitude,  and  therefore  it  is 
found  no  where  but  in  a  benevolent  heart,  or,  which  is 
the  fame,  in  thofe  who  are  friends  to  difinterefted 
benevolence.  The  love  of  gratitude  is  efiential  to  difin- 
terefted benevolence  of  a  creature,  as  it  is  included  in 
the  very  nature  of  it,  as  is  the  love  of  complacence,  as 
has  been  fliown.  Wherever  the  benevolent  mind  fees 
the  exercife  of  benevolence  by  any  being,  he  is  not 
merely  pleafed  with  it,  but  exercifes  gratitude  towards 
that  Being,  and  that  whether  he  himfelf  be  the  object  of 
that  benevolence,  or  any  other  being  in  the  univerfe. 
For  the  benevolent  man  is  a  friend  to  univerfal  being, 
capable  of  good  ;  he  wifhes  well  to  aJl :  therefore,  he 
who  regards  the  good  of  being  in  general,  and  promotes 
the  general  good,  or  expreffes  his  bsnevolenee  by  doing- 

g0Q.d 


SerM.    XVII.      THI   FOUNDATION   OF   PIETt;  lg^_ 

good  to  any  particular  being,  is  the  proper  objccl  o£ 
grateful  love,  and  fuch  benevolence  is  fuited  to  excite  it, 
and  certainly  will  do  it  in  every  benevolent  heart.  It 
hence  appears,  that  as  the  truth  in  our  text  is  fuited  to 
excite  the  love  of  benevolence  and  complacency  to  the 
higheft  degree,  as  has  been  fliewn,it  will  alfo  excite  true 
gratitude  ;  and  that  every  thing  contrary  to  this  truth, 
is  oppofcd  to  the  pious  love  of  gratitude. 

When  the  benevolent  mind  fees  Infinite  Benevolence 
deligning  and  effe<5ling  the  greateil  poffible  good  to  being 
in  general,  and  promoting  the  greateit  happinefs  of  thti 
whole,  who  "  is  good  unto  all,  and  his  tender  mercies 
are  over  all  his  works,"  and  beholds  him  decreeing  and 
doing,  and  caufmg  to  be  done,  every  thing  that  is  He- 
ceflary  to  anfwer  and  effeclually  fecure  this  end,  this 
eternal  purpofe  ;  he  finds  unbounded  fcope  for  the  high- 
efi:  and  moil  fweet  gratitude  to  this  Infinitely  Good  Be-* 
ing,  who  is  glorifying  himfelf  to  the  highcfl;  degree,  and 
producing  the  greateil  poflible  happinefs  in  the  created 
univerfe  forever.  He  gives  thanks  to  God  for  his  in- 
finite goodnefs  manifefi:ed  in  his  works,  and  in  his  re- 
vealed defign  and  fixed  plan,  including  his  own  glory, 
and  the  higheft  good  of  the  created  univerfe.  His  mind 
is  enraptured  in  gratitude  to  God  for  his  regard  and 
benevolence  to  the  fiim  of  all  being,  H'unfelf,  the  firfii 
and  the  laft,  the  Almiglity,  in  that  he  has  made  all 
things  for  himfelf,  for  his  own  glory,  and  is  unalterably 
determined,  and  infinitely  engaged,  to  glorify  himfelf 
by  all  his  works,  and  by  all  creatures,  and  in  conjunction 
with  this  to  effefl  the  greateft  poflible  happinefs  of  thir 
creation.  This  manifeftation  of  the  divine  holinefs, 
and  infinite  benevolence,  is  the  greateft,  the  fupreme  ol>» 
jed  of  the  gratitude  and  thankfulnefs  of  the  pious,  be- 
nevolent heart. 

And  when  the  pious,  good  man  attends  to  the  infi- 
nitely guilty  and  wretched  ftate  into  which  mankind 
have  fallen,  and  how  exceeding  odious  and  vile  thev 
are,  being  total  and  obftinate  enemies  to  God,  his  law 
and  government,  and  violently  oopofed  to  all  his  be- 
nevolent 


2g6  •   THE    DECREES    01'    GOD,  SerM.    XVll! 

nevolciit  dciigns  ;  and  behokis  God  fo  loving  the  world 
as  to  give  liis  only  begotten  Son  to  fave  them,  that 
whoever  believe;]  on  him  ihould  not  perilli,  but  have 
everiailing  lilx; ;  and  that  a  moft  glorious,  happy  and 
eternal  kingdom  fliall  be  ralfed  out  of  the  ruins  of  an 
apoilate  world,  to  the  glory  of  divine  grace  ;  and  that 
the  grreateft  e;ood  fhall  be  brouoht  out  of  all  the  evil 
that  has  been,  or  will  ej;ift  to  a]]  eternity,  fo  that  the 
iflue  Ciall  be  inlinitely  better  than  if  there  were^no  evil ; 
and  that  this  is  all  included  in  the  eternal  plan  which 
was  fixed  by  Infinite  Wifdom  and  Gocdnefs  ;  when  all 
this  comes  into  view,  it  will  excite  the  moft  lincere  and 
ftrong  exercifes  of  grateful  love,  which  will  continue 
and  increafe  forever. 

And  when  the  pious  man  attends  to  the  goodnefs  of 
God  to  him,  in  particular,  and  is  fenfible  that  it  is  the 
eifecl  of  God's  eternal  counfel,  and  his  benevolent  de- 
fign  of  good  to  hirn,  and  that  it  flows  from  him  on 
whom  he  is  abfolutely  dependent,  who  orders  all  things, 
fo  that  his  hand  is  to  be  feen  in  every  event  that  takes 
place  ;  ail  this  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  excite  his  grateful 
love,  while  he  fays,  "  Not  unto  me,  but  unto  thy  name, 
be  all  the  praife  and  glory."  And  what  a  foundation 
is  here  laid  for  holy,  increaling  gratitude  forever  ! 

Gratitude  to  God  confifts  in  a  true  fenfe  and  plealing 
approbation  of  the  goodnefs  of  God  to  univerfal  being, 
and  to  ourfelves,  and  in  making  all  the  acknowledge- 
ments and  returns  of  which  we  are  capable,  in  loving 
and  giving  ourfelves  away  to  him,  to  be  ufed  for  his 
fervice,  glory  and  praife  forever. 

The  man  who  has  no  diiinterefted  benevolence,  but 
is  wholly  felfifli,  is  not  capable  of  the  leafl  degree  of 
this  true  gratitude.  He  can  love  thofe  who  love  him, 
but  this  is  nothing  but  felf  love,  at  bottom  ;  for  by  the 
fuppofition,  he  feeks  himfcF,  and  is  devoted  to  none  but 
himfelf  in  all  his  exercifes,  and  is  not  pleafed  with  be- 
nevolence for  its  own  fake,  or  any  farther  than  he  may 
reap  fonie  perfonal  benefit  by  it,  to  gratify  his  felf  love. 
Ke  is  difpleafed  with  that  goodnefs  which  pafTes  by  him, 
and  does  good  to  others,  or  fecks  and  promotes  the 
general  good.  SERMON 


Sermon  xviii. 


Eccl.  iii.  14.     /  k7iow  that  whatfoe'ver  God  doth,  it  jhall  he 
.forever :  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thi?ig  taken  from 
it  ;  and  God  doth  it,  that  men  Jhould  fear  before  him. 

THESlE  words  have  been  explained  in  the  foregoing 
difcourfe,  and  the  truths  contained  in  them  have 
been  found  to  be  the  following :  that  God  hath  in  his 
wifdom  and  goodnefs,  by  his  unchangeable  decree,  fore- 
ordained whatfoever  comes  to  pafs  ;  that  this  truth, 
confidered  in  its  extent  and  confequences,  is  the  only 
proper  and  fufficient  foundation  of  the  true  piety  of 
men. 

The  laft  mentioned  truth  is  now  under  confideration, 
and  has  been  in  part  illuftrated  and  proved,  by  inftancing 
in  true  love  to  God.  We  now  proceed  to  confider 
other  branches  of  piety,  which  are  included  in  love,  and 
grow  out  of  this  root  or  flock,  and  may  be  coniidered 
as  different  modifications  of  this  fame  love  ;  and  to 
fiiow  that  God,  viewed  as  defcribed  in  the  text,  is  the 
only  proper  obje6t  of  them. 

2.  T\itfcar  of  God  is  an  exercife  of  piety.  This  is 
put  in  our  text,  and  in  many  other  places  in  holy  writ, 
for  the  whole  of  true  piety,  as  has  been  obferved.  The 
i-eafon  of  this  doubtlefs  is,  becaufe  it  is  in  a  peculiar 
manner  fuited  to  exprefs  the  pious  exercifes  of  a  fallen 
creature,  infinitely  vile  and  guilty,  and  juftly  expofed  to 
eternal  deftruction,  into  which  he  will  infallibly  fall, 
unlefs  he  be  refcued  by  fovereign  grace,  who  with 
humility  and  felf  diffidence,  knowing  that  he  is  wholly 
lofl  in  himfelf,  trufts  wholly  in  Chrill,  the  only  Saviour 
of  llnners,  whom  he  lias  offended,  and  is  conflantly  of- 
fending ;  yet  trufts  in  him  alone,  even  in  his  infinite 
power  and  fovereign  goodnefs,  for  pardon,  rlghteouf- 
iiefs,  holinefs,  ftrength  and  redemption.  And  thus  it 
Q  q  is 


29S  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIIL 

is  peculiarly  adapted  to  exprefs  the  mode  or  manner  ot 
the  pious,  religious  exercifes  of  fmners  who  believe  in 
Chrift,  and  are  friends  to  God  and  the  Redeemer  ;  or 
the  holinefs  of  repenting,  believing  finners,  that  is,  real 
Chriftians. 

It  is  plain,  at  the  firft  view,  that  the  God  who  is  re- 
prefented  in  our  text,  in  his  abfolute  independence,  de- 
crees and  works,  as  it  has  been  explained,  is  fuited  to 
lead  men  to  fear  before  him,  according  to  this  general, 
compreheniive  fenfe  of  fear,  including  the  whole  of 
piety ;  and  that  all  thofe  doflrines  which  are  oppofed 
to  this,  have  a  contrary  tendency,  and  are  not  confittent 
with  the  fear  of  God,  in  this  fenfe  of  it.  But  it  may 
perhaps  give  fome  fiirther  light  on  this  fubjecl,  by  more 
particularly  conlidering  the  fear  of  God  in  a  more  re- 
ilraincd  fenfe,  and  as  a  branch  of  true  love  or  piety. 

It  is  of  importance  to  obferve  here,  X.\\d.t.  fear  is  ufed 
in  different  and  oppofite  fenfes  in  the  Bible  ;  becaufe 
there  are  two  forts  of  fear,  one,  that  which  implies  holy, 
love,  and  is  eflential  to  true  piety  ;  the  other  is  oppofed 
to  love,  and  is  therefore  the  fear  of  thofe  who  are  not 
friends  to  God,  but  enemies.  This  latter  is  intended 
hjfear,  in  the  following  paflages  ;  i  John  iv.  18.  "  There 
is  no  fear  in  love,  but  perfe6t  love  cafteth  out  fear  ;  be- 
'caufe  fear  hath  torment :  he  that  feareth,  h  not  made 
perfect  in  love.'*  2  Ti?7i.  i.  7  :  "  For  God  hath  not 
given  us  the  fpirit  oifear,  but  of  power,  and  of  love,  and 
of  a  found  mind.*'  Rom.  viii.  15:  "  For  ye  have 
not  received  the  fpirit  of  bondage  again  to j/^^r,  but  ye 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry, 
Abba,  Father." 

Thefe  different  kinds  of  fear  may  be  in  fome  meafure 
illuftrated  by  the  following  inftance.  An  excellent 
father  has  a  fon  and  a  fervant,  both  of  whom  have 
been  guilty  of  injuring  him,  and  have  fallen  under  his 
jufl  difpleafure.  The  fon  heartily  repents,  and  loves 
his  father,  and  is  reftored  to  his  favour.  But  he  keeps 
conftantly  in  view  the  evil  which  he  juftly  deferves,  and 
which  his  father  is  able  to  inflid  j  he  feels  that  he  de- 
pends 


SeRM.    XVIII.        TPIE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  299 

pends  entirely  upon  his  father's  goodnefs  for  an  efcape 
from  that  evil,  and  that  he  Hands  in  need  of  his  con- 
ftant  aid  and  affiftance  to  preferve  him  from  offending 
again,  and  from  that  evil  which  he  dreads  fo  much. 
Both  his  father's  difpleafure,  and  the  evil  confequence, 
are  dreadful  to  him.  He  knows  his  father  is  able  to 
punifli  in  the  moft  dreadful  manner ;  he  fees  fome  of 
the  family  fuifering  the  punifliment  every  day,  and 
others  going  in  the  way  which  will  bring  it  upon  them, 
unlefs  they  repent  and  reform  in  feafon  ;  and  has  feel- 
ings anfvverable  to  what  he  fees.  He  knows  he  deferves 
to  be  thus  punifhed  as  much  as  the  worft  of  them,  and 
depends  entirely  upon  his  father'*  goodnefs  to  prevent 
it.  He  loves  his  father  with  all  Lis  heart,  he  approves 
of  his  conduct,  and  kno\vs  he  does  every  thing  right. 
He  loves  to  have  him  fupreme  and  independent  in  the 
family,  and  to  have  him  order  every  thing,  and  to  fee 
his  will  done  in  all  cafes ;  he  loves  to  be  abfolutely  de- 
pendent upon  him,  and  to  have  all  the  family  fo  :  and 
in  the  exercife  of  this  love,  and  in  the  views  no\t^  men- 
tioned, he  humbles  himfelf  before  his  father,  and  fears 
and  trembles  before  him. 

The  fervant  who  has  offended  his  mafler,  fears  the 
rod,  he  dreads  the  puniihment  which  is  threatened,  and 
knows  he  can  inflift  it ;  but  he  has  no  love  to  the  father, 
his  mafler  ;  he  wiflies  to  be  out  of  the  family,  and  not 
dependent  on  him  in  any  degree.  He  tries  to  pacify 
and  pleafe  his  mafler  in  his  outward  conduct,  from  the 
love  of  himfelf,  becaufe  he  fears  the  rod,  and  wilhes  to 
efcape  punifliment.  Thus  he  lives  in  continual  Jlavljh 
fear  of  his  mafler,  which  difinterefled  love  to  him  would 
cafl  out. 

Every  one  mufl  fee  the  difference  between  the  filial 
fear  of  the  ion,  who  loves  his  fatherj  and  xh&  fei-vile  fear 
of  the  fervant,  who  loves  himfelf  only  ;  and  the  oppo- 
iition  of  one  to  the  other.  And  furely  the  difference 
and  oppofition  between  the  godly  fear  of  thofe  who  love 
God  with  difmterefled  benevolence,  and  the  fervile  fear 

of 


^Od  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.  XVIII. 

of  thofe  wlio  do  not  love  him,  but  are  enemies  to  him, 
is  much  greater,  and  far  more  evident  and  ftriking. 

Here  it  may  be  obferved,  that  this  ferviic  fcar^  by 
which  men  are  reftrained  from  a  carel^fs,  bold  practice 
of  open  lin,  aiid  their  attention  to  a  future  ftate,  and 
preffing  concern  to  efcape  hell  and  obtain  falvation,  ig 
excited  and  kept  up,  this  fervile  fear  is  neceffarily 
awakened,  and  fills  the  foul  with  painful  concern,  when 
linners  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  in 
our  text,  and  are  made  in  fome  meafure  to  feel  it  to  be 
true.  So  long  as  God,  in  his  greatnefs,  omniprefence 
and  terrible  majefty,  is  not  in  their  view,  and  they  do 
not  feel  or  fee  their  abfolute  dependence  upon  him  for 
all  good,  and  even  to  efcape  hell  and  obtain  heaven,  but 
feel  as  if  they  had  their  life  in  their  own  hands,  in  this 
refpect,  they  will  not  be  afraid  of  God,  but  live  in  eafe 
and  fecurity.  But  when  they  come  to  feel  that  they  are 
in  the  hands  of  God,  and  that  he  will  deftroy  or  favc 
them,  as  he  pleafes,  they  being  abfolutely  dependent  on 
him,  they  will  begin  to  fear  and  ftand  in  awe  of  him. 
And  the  more  fully  convinced  they  are  of  the  truth 
contained  in  our  text,  the  greater  will  be  their  fear  and 
terror  refpecling  their  ftate  and  fituation.  This  every 
one  can  witnefs  who  has  been  an  obferver  of  others  in 
thefe  matters,  or  has  attended  to  his  own  feelings.  And 
it  may  be  aU'ed,  Where  has  any  perfon  been  found, 
who  has  diibelieved  the  do6lrine  of  God's  decrees,  of 
his  foreordaining  ivhatfocver  comes  to  pafs^  who  has  been 
under  any  foul-diftrefimg  fear  of  God,  or  of  eternal  de- 
flruclion  ? 

But  pious,  godly  fear  implies  love  to  God,  in  a  view 
of  his  infinite  greatnefs  and  importance,  and  a  fenfe  of 
his  infinitely  beautiful  and  glorious  character,  unchange- 
ably wife,  good,  upright,  juft,  true  and  faithful,  having 
decreed  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs,  and  executing  his 
decrees  in  creating,  preferving  and  governing  all  his 
creatures  and  all  their  adions^  for  his  own  glory,  and  the 
greateft  good  of  the  univerfe  ;  or,  which  is  the  fame, 
t|ie  greateft  happinefs  and  glory  of  his  eternal  kingdom. 

And" 


5eRM.  XVIII.        TME    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY,  30T 

And  this  Godf  who  is  the  fupreme  object  of  love.  Is  alfo 
the  objeft  of  pious  reverence  and  fear,  as  neceffarily  im- 
pHcd  in  true  love.  Thus  pious  love  and  fear  imply  and 
involve  each  other,  and  are  really  but  one  and  the  fame 
affeclion,  which  this  grand  and  glorious  objeft  is  fuited 
to  excite.  This  fear  of  God  implies  a  view  and  fenfe 
of  his  greatnefs  and  unlimited  power,  of  his  unchangcr- 
able  deligns,  and  our  abfolute  and  conftant  dependence 
on  him,  on  his  will,  in  every  refpefl,  for  exiftence  and 
every  motion,  and  all  good,  he  being  our  potter,  and 
we  the  clay  in  his  hand,  living,  moving  and  moved, 
and  having  our  being,  in  him.  It  alfo  implies  a  view 
and  fenfe  of  our  own  infinite  vilenefs  and  ill-defert,  and 
of  the  infinite  evil  which  God  is  able  to  inflicl:,  and  may 
juftly  bring  upon  us  ;  and  that  his  almighty  power  and 
fovereign  grace  alone  can  prevent  our  being  deftroyed 
forever,  into  which  deftruftion  many  have  fallen,  and 
are  falling  continually  ;  and  that  we  depend  wholly  on 
him,  even  his  fovereign,  forfeited  mercy,  to  prevent 
pur  going  to  eternal  ruin,  and  on  his  conftant  energy 
and  grace,  to  caufe  us  to  cleave  to  him,  and  go  in  the 
way  to  heaven,  we  being  nothing  but  infufliciency  and 
\''anity,  before  the  Infinite  All-fufficient  Being  ;  and  in 
this  view  exercifing  felf-diffidence,  humility,  and  truft 
and  dependence  in  God,  dreading  his  difpleafure  above 
all  things,  and  fubmiting  to  him,  with  a  difpofition  and 
defire  to  obey  him  in  all  things  forever.  All  this  is 
implied  in  the  true  fear  of  God.  But  it  may  be  ex- 
prefled  in  fewer  words,  and  perhaps  more  clearly  to 
fome  minds,  thus  :  To  fear  God  is  to  be  properly  afFedted 
with  his  infinite  greatnefs  and  terrible  majefty,  threaten- 
ing and  punifhing  his  implacable  enemies  with  everlaft- 
ing  deftru(fbion  ;  to  feel  ourfelves  and  all  the  creation  as 
nothing  before  him,  and  wholly  dependent  upon  him  ; 
to  be  fuitably  affected  with  our  own  guilt  and  vilenefs, 
and  our  abfolute  dependence  on  his  fovereign,  undeferv- 
^d  mercy  for  pardon,  and  the  renovation  of  our  minds 
to  holy  exercifes. 

The 


no2  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIII. 


O 


The  whole  of  this  is  expreffed  or  implied  in  the  fol- 
lowing paffages  of  fcripture  :  Luke  xii.  5  : — ^"  Fear  him 
who,  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  caft  into  hell ; 
yea,  I  fay  unto  you,  fear  him."  All  will  grant  that 
Chrift  here  enjoins  reHgious,  pious  fear  of  God,  upon 
all  who  love  him.  And  God  is  reprefented  in  his  terrible 
majejly  as  the  objecl  of  this  fear,  they  being  wholly  in 
his  hands,  and  dependent  upon  him,  who  is  able,  and 
may  juftly,  if  he  pleafcs,  call  them  into  hell,  and  make 
them  milerable  forever.  Upon  this  two  things  may  be 
obferved  : 

1.  That  it  is  here  fuppofed  that  God  does  caft  fome 
into  hell,  and  inflict  eternal  evil  upon  them.  For  if  this 
could  not  be  done  confiftent  with  his  charafter  and 
perfections,  or  with  his  known  delign,  merely  his  hav- 
ing power  to  do  that  which  it  is  known  he  never  will 
do,  and  cannot  do  confident  with  his  moral  perfedion, 
does  not  render  him  more  an  obje6b  of  religious  fear, 
than  if  he  had  no  fuch  power  ;  and  it  would  be  only  an 
empty  bugbear  and  fcarecrow,  fet  up  to  excite  fear 
without  any  reafon  ;  which  cannot  be  fuppofed.  If  no 
fuch  evil,  as  that  of  being  caft  into  hell,  had  exiftence, 
or  ever  will  be  inflicted,  in  any  inftance,  then  it  could 
not  be  reafonably  propofed  as  an  objeft  of  fear. 

2.  If  this  evil  of  being  caft  into  hell  be  a  reality, 
God  having  power  to  do  it,  and  aftually  doing  it,  when- 
ever and  in  whatever  inftances  he  pleafes,  that  is,  when 
it  is  necefl'ary  for  his  glory,  and  the  greateft  good  of  the 
whole ;  this  reprefents  God  as  an  object  of  religious 
fear,  to  thofe  who  feel  themfelves  in  his  hands,  and  de- 
ferving  of  this  evil ;  even  when  they  confider  themfelves 
as  fecured  from  fuffering  it,  by  a  divine  promife  through 
a  Mediator.  For  ftill  eternal  torment  in  hell  is  a  reality, 
and  they  deferve  it  as  much  as  thofe  who  are  actually 
caft  into  it  ;  and  are  conftantly  dependent  on  God's 
fovereign  will,  to  be  faved  from  it :  and  their  elcape 
from  hell,  and  full,  abfolute  and  unconditional  fecurity 
that  they  fliall  not  perifti,  cannot  be  faid  to  be  perfed: 
and  completed,  fo  long  as  they  are  on  this  fide  of  hea- 
ven. 


SeRM.    XVIII.         THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  ^O^ 

ven,  in  a  ftate  of  probation,  and  until  they  are  aclually 
admitted  there.  Befides,  wliile  they/ in  the  exercife  ot 
benevolence,  behold  their  fellow  Chriilians  by  profeiFion, 
and  their  fellow  men,  among  whom  they  live,  and  are 
uncertain  that  they  will  all  efcape  hell,  and  fee  them  in 
the  hands  of  God,  who  cafts  them  into  hell,  or  faves 
them  from  this  infinitely  dreadful  evil,  as  he  pleafes, 
they  muft  have  a  fenfation  and  excrcifes  independent  of 
their  own  perfonal  concerns,  and  however  iecure  they 
may  coniider  themfelves,  which  is  properly  called  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  glory  of  his  majefty.  Th;s 
is  therefore  enjoined  upon  all  the  people  of  God,  as  in- 
cluded in  their  pious  obedience  to  him.  \_Deut.  xxviii. 
58  :]  "  If  thou  wilt  not  obferve  to  do  all  the  words  of 
this  law,  that  are  written  in  this  book,  that  thou  mayeft 
fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name,  the  Lord,  thy 
GoD,  then  the  Lord  will  make  thy  plagues  wonder- 
ful,** &c. 

And  an  affection  of  this  fame  nature  and  kind  will 
be  exercifed  by  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  forever,  as 
necefl'arily  included  in  love  to  God,  in  a  view  of  his 
glorious,  fearful,  fovereign  power  and  majefty,  and  of 
themfelves  and  all  creatures,  as  being  infinitely  below 
him,  and  as  nothing  in  comparifon  with  him,  and  whol- 
ly dependent  upon  him,  for  exiftence,  every  motion  of 
their  hearts,  and  all  good,  and  in  a  clear  view  of  his 
terrible  wrath  againft  iinners,  and  the  dreadful  puniili- 
ment  inflicted  upon  them.  This  is  reprefented  in  the 
15th  chapter  of  the  Revelation.  John  law  feven  angels 
having  the  feven  laft  plagues  ;  for  in  them  is  filled  up 
the  wrath  of  God  ;  and  at  the  fame  time  he  obferved  the 
inhabitants  of  heaven  looking  on,  fmging  and  faying, 
"  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works.  Lord,  God  Al- 
mighty, juft  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  faints. - 
Who  Jlmfl  not  fear  tbee^  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ? 
For  thou  only  art  holy ;  for  thy  judgments  are  made 
manifeft."  I  proceed  to  mention  another  paflage  of 
fcripture.  \Fhil.  ii.  \2,  13.]  "  Work  out  your  own 
ialvation  ijuith  fear  and  trembling ;  for  it  is  God  v.-iio 

worketh 


5#4  'rHE    r)E(JRE£S    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIII^ 

worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  own 
good  pleafure."  Kere  fear  and  trembling  muft  mean 
fuch  excrcifes  of  mind  as  are  fuitable  to  their  dependence 
on  God  and  his  operating  energy,  for  all  things,  even 
every  motion  of  their  hearts,  of  wiU  and  choice  ;  for 
this  their  dependence  on  God  is  given  as  a  reafon  why 
they  ihouid  go  on  in  a  Chriftian  courfe  with  fear  and 
trembling:  For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to 
toill  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure.  They  were  hang- 
ing over  hdi,  and  muft  drop  into  it,  unlefs  fupported 
and  refcued  by  the  omnipotent  arm  of  God,  working 
in  them,  and  forming  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  that 
which  was  neceflary  in  order  to  efcape  hell  and  obtain 
heaven  ;  in  which  God  was  infinitely  above  all  controul, 
and  acted  of  his  ov/n  good  pleafure,  after  the  counfel  of 
his  own  will.  Here  the  fame  idea  is  held  up,  and  the 
fame  truth  expreiied,  with  that  in  our  text,  as  the 
foundation  and  reafon  of  man's  fearing  before  God,  and 
working  out  his  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling.,  viz. 
Their  abfoiute  dependence  on  God  in  all  things,  even 
for  every  thought  and  motion  of  heart,  which  he  effec- 
tually caufes  to  exift  by  his  inyilible,  fecret,  almighty 
energy,  according  to  his  own  pleafure,  which  muft  be 
tmchangeable,  and  according  to  his  eternal  purpofe,  in- 
cluding all  he  would  do  to  eternity  in  producing  every 
thing,  and  ordering  every  event :  fo  that  there  is  but 
one  endlefs  chain  of  events,  made  up  of  innumerable 
links,  of  which  the  leaft  cxiftence,  event  and  motion, 
and  every  circumftance,  the  moft  minute,  is  a  necelTary 
part,  as  well  as  the  greateft  ;  the  whole  being  formed 
by  the  wife  counfel  and  will  of  God,  and  entirely  de- 
pendent upon  him,  and  executed  by  him  ;  and  v/hich 
cannot  admit  the  leaft  poflible  change  or  alteration,  it 
being  as  firmly  eftabliCied  and  fixed  as  the  exiftence 
and  throne  of  the  Almighty. 

I  conclude  this  head  with  obferving,  that  it  is  beyond 
all  controverfy  certain,  that  the  fear  of  God,  as  it  has 
been  explained,  fuppofes  our  dependence  on  him,  viewing 
kim  as  v/hat  he  is,  and  ouriclves  as  what  we  are  j  and 

that. 


SeRM.    XVIII.       THE    FOUNDATION    OF    Pl£TY.  30^ 

that,  the  more  abfolute,  perfecl;  and  univerfal  this  de- 
pendence is,  the  greater  foundation  there  is  for  this 
fear,  and  this  affection  wiii  be  ftrong  and  conftant  in 
proportion  to  the  view  and  fenfe  we  have  of  this  de- 
pendence. Therefore  the  doclrine  contained  in  our 
text  lays  the  bell  and  moft  perfect  foundation  for  the 
exercife  of  the. fear  of  God,  and  is  every  way  fuited  to 
promote  it ;  and  every  opinion  and  fentiment  which 
contradicts  this,  and  reprefents  man  as  in  any  degree 
felf-fulEcient,  and  independent  in  any  refped,  is  con- 
trary to  the  true  fear  of  God,  and  tends  to  prevent  or 
deftroy  it. 

3.  An  entire,  unreferved  trufi  in  Gcd  is  an  exercife 
of  true  piety,  and  eilential  .to  it.  The  only  foundation 
for  this  is  his  all-fulhciency,  his  being  unchangeable  in. 
his  gcodnefs,  truth  and  faithfulnefs,  and  omnipotent, 
fupreme,  or  doing  every  thing  as  he  pleafes,  and  guid- 
ing all  things  by  his  conftant,  univeriai  agency^  fo  as 
to  anfwer  the  molt  wife  and  beft  end.  Every  thing 
contrary  to  fuch  a  character  is  inconiiftent  with  his 
being  an  object  of  unreferved  truft  and  confidence  to 
the  pious  mind.  If  God  were  not  unchangeable  in  his 
attributes  and  defigns,  and  had  he  not  all  creatures  and 
things  under  his  direction  and  controul ;  and  could 
there  be  one  motion  or  action  in  the  univerfe  indenen- 
dent  of  his  direction,  agency  and  will ;  and  did  he  noC 
know  what  is  the  beft  end,  and  what  are  the  wifeft  and 
beft  means  to  accomplilh  it ;  and  was  he  not  unchange- 
ably determined  what  he  would  do,  in  the  exercife  of 
infinite  wifdoni  and  goodnefs  ;  the  benevolent,  pious 
fnind  would  have  no  foundation  of  unreferved  truil 
and  confidence. 

But  our  God  is  not  fo,  "  He  is  the  Rocky  his  work 
is  perfect,  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment;  a  God  o£ 
truth,  and  without  iniquiry,y///?  and  right  is  he."  The 
pious  mind,  feeling  his  abfolute,  entire  dependence,  and 
the  univerfal  depep.dence  of  all  things,  on  this  God, 
whom  he  loves  with  all  his  heart,  puts  his  whole  truft 
in  him,  and  relies  upon  him  with  the  moft  unreferved 
R  r  coniidence. 


^c6  TflE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  $ERM.    XVIlL 

confidence,  and  the  greateft  fatisfac1:ion  and  pleafure, 
"  He  beholds  the  hand  of  God  conducting  all  the  hidden 
fprings  and  movements  of  the  univcrfe,  and,  with  a  fecret  but 
unerring  operatio?i^  directing  every  evsnt^^  *  fo  as  to  pro- 
niote  and  elfecl:  the  greateil  poflibie  good,  his  own  glory 
and  the  greateft  happinefs  of  his  kingdom,  and  of  all 
who  truft  in  him  ;  and  with  pleafure  places  the  greateil 
and  moft  unreferved  confidence  in  him,  and  calls  all  his 
care  upon  him.  "  He  rejh  in  the  Lord,  and  waits  pa- 
tiently for  him." 

Thus  the  pious,  benevolent  man  trufts  in  God  to 
glorify  himfeif  by  all  things,  and  all  events,  that  take 
place,  however  dark,  and  of  a  contrary  tendency,  they 
may  appear  to  him  to  be.  And  he  implicitly,  without 
feeing  how  it  may  be  done,  relies  upon  Him  to  bring 
good,  unipeakable  good,  out  of  ail  evil ;  fo  that  no 
event  iliail  take  place  that  fliall  not  be  beil,  on  the  whole, 
and  all  fhall  iiTue  to  the  greateft  advantage  to  his  fer- 
vants.  and  his  eternal  kingdom.  And  he  places  his 
hope  and  truft  wholly  in  this  God,  for  all  he  defires 
and  wants  for  himfeif  perfonally,  and  for  his  fellow 
creatures,  for  body  or  foul,  in  time  and  to  eternity : 
and  the  language  of  his  heart  is  that  of  David,  \Pjal. 
Ixii.  5,  &C.3  "  My  foul,  wait  thou  only  upon  God  :  for 
my  expectation  is  from  him.  He  only  is  my  Rock  and 
my  falvation  ;  he  is  my  defence  :  I  fhall  not  be  moved. 
In  God  is  my  falvation  and  my  glory  :  the  Rock  of  my 
itrength,  and  my  refuge,  is  in  God.  Truft  in  him  at 
all  times,  ye  people  ;  pour  out  your  heart  before  him, 
God  is  a  refuge  for  us.'* 

In  Ihort,  this  do6lrine,  inculcated  in  our  text,  and 
taught  through  the  whole  Bible,  being  underftandingly 
and  cordially  received,  will  pull  down  and  deftroy  that 
felf-confidence  arid  feif-dependencc,  which  is  natural  to 
man,  and  with  \\  hich  feif  love  infpires  him  ;  it  is  levelled- 
direcfly  againft  the  feififhnefs  and  pride  of  man,  and 
fuited  to  caft  down  every  high  thing  in  his  heart,  whicli 

exalts 


*  Dr.^  Blair's  Sermons,  vol.  i.  p.  46. 


SeRM.    XVIII.      THl    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  30/ 

exalts  itfelf  againft  the  knowledge  of  God  ;  to  exalt 
God,  and  humble  man,  and  form  him  to  cleave  to  God 
and  the  Redeemer,  in  a  humble  truft  and  dependence 
on  Him  alone.  No  wonder  then  that  this  doctrine  is 
fo  difagreeable  to  thofe  whofe  felfifhnefs  and  pride  have 
never  been  fubdued,  and  has  been  fo  much  oppofed  in 
this  fmful  world. 

4.  An  entire,  unconditional  refignation  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  plealing  acquiefcence  in  it,  is  an  effential 
part  of  true  piety.  In  order  to  this,  the  will  of  God 
muft  be  confidered  as  unchangeably  wife  and  good,  and 
as  wifely  ordering  and  guiding  all  events  to  anfwer  a 
good  end  ;  and  ordering  all  evil  as  the  neceifary  occafion 
and  means  of  the  greatcil  good.  God  cannot  be^  om- 
nipotent, infinitely  wife  and  good,  unlefs  he  has  fore- 
ordained whatfoever  com.es  to  pafs ;  and  therefore  on 
any  other  fuppofition  there  would  be  no  foundation  or 
reafon  for  an  implicit,  unreferved  refignation  to  his  will. 
The  pious,  benevolent  mind  cannot  acquiefce  in  any 
thins:  or  event  which  is  not  wife  and  g-ood  ;  it  cannot 
be  reconciled  to  evil,  confidered  in  itlelt,  only  as  evil ; 
but  in  order  to  be  plcafed  with  its  taking  place,  it  muft 
be  confidered  in  its  connection  with  the  good  of  which 
it  is  the  occafion.  Therefore  true  relisfnation  to  the 
Will  of  God  does  fuppofe  him  to  guide  all  the  move- 
ments in  the  univerfe,  and  order  all  events  in  infinite 
wifdom  and  goodnefs.  In  this  view,  and  certain  of 
this,  the  language  of  the  piou-S,  benevolent  heart  is, 
*'  Thy  will  be  done  ;''  without  making  any  exception 
or  condition.  Whatever  evil  takes  place  refpeding 
himfelf  or  others,  he  is  ready  to  efpoufe  the  language  of 
pious  Eli :  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  feemeth 
good  unto  him."  He  with  pleafure  exercifeth  an  un- 
referved fubmifhon  and  refignation  to  the  all-wife  and 
infiniteiv  eood  Bcino:. 

5.  Repentance  towards  God,  and  humbling  ourfelves 
in  his   fight  for  our  fms,  is  included  in  the  exercife  of 
Chriftian  piety.     This  confiUs  in  a  fenfe  and  acknow- 
Icd^fnent  of  the  evil  cf  fm,  of  its  ill  defert,  feeling  our- 
felves 


3pS  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIIL 

feives  wholly  blameable  and  anfwerabie  for  it,  abhorring 
it,  and  condemning  ourieivcs  for  it,  renouncing  it,  and 
turning  from  it ;  in  which  the  linner  juftifies  God,  and 
approves  of  his  law,  and  condemns  and  takes  Ihaip.e  to 
himieif.  Tins  aivsays  takes  place  and  is  exercifed  in. 
the  view  of  thoie  truths,  which  are  at  leail  imphed  in 
the  doctrine  which  we  are  confidering.  And  it  is  im- 
poilible  the  heart  Ihouid  repent  while  it  oppofes  this 
docirine,  and  liioie  truths  which  are  contained  in  it. 
This  can  be  done  only  by  an  impenitent,  fellifh,  proud 
heart,  which  does  always  oppofe  and  hate  this  doctrine^ 
though  the  underftanding  and  judgment  may  be  con- 
vinced that  it  is  true. 

The  doctrine  of  the  decrees  of  God,  foreordaining 
whatioever  comes  to  pafs,  for  his  own  glory  and  the . 
grcatefl  general  good,  necelTarily  includes  his  hatred  of 
iin,  and  the  evil  and  criminal  nature  of  it,  as  it  oppofes. 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  general  good  ;  and  the  fm- 
ner,  who  is  guilty  of  it,  does  herein  exprefs  his  enmity 
againft  God,  and  the  good  which  is  the  object  of  his  de- 
crees :  and  were  the  natural  tendency  and  confequence 
of  fm  to  take  place,  Vvdthout  being  counter acled,  and 
overruled  to  anfwer  an  end  which  iin  and  the  hnner  op- 
pofe, God's  end  in  his  decrees  would  be  fruftrated,  he 
would  be  diflionoured,  and  good  be  deftroyed  by  un- 
limited evil. 

The  fmner  is  as  blameable  and  criminal,  as  if  his  fin 
was  not  overruled  for  good  ;  for  the  nature  of  it  is  juif. 
as  bad  and  unreafonable  as  if  no  good  cam.e  of  it ;  and 
Iin  is  as  great  a  crime  as  it  would  be,  were  there  no  di- 
vine decrees  ;  and  in  fome  refpects  greater  :  for  the 
fmner  ads  as  freely  as  he  could  were  Uiere  no  decrees  j 
he  has  all  the  freedom  that  is  in  the  nature  of  things 
poflible ;  he  acts  voluntarily,  and  he  oppofes  the  wile, 
holy  and  benevolent  decrees  of  God,  and  that  infinitely 
wiie,  beautiful  and  benevolent  plan  which  he  has  laid, 
and  is  executing,  even  in  that  very  fin  and  rebellion  by 
which  he  is  accomplifiring  it.  When  the  finner's  eyes 
^re  opened  to  fee  all  this,  he  fees  the  evil  of  fm,  as  it  is 

oppofed 


SeRM.    XVIII.      THE    FOUNDATION    OF    FIITY.  30^ 

oppofed  to  this  infinitely  great  and  glorious  God,  to  all 
his  wife  and  benevolent  purpofes  and  decrees,  and  to 
that  wife,  glorious  and  all-comprehending  plan  of  his 
operations.  He  fees  this,  and  adores,  and  his  heart 
breaks  and  melts  in  contrition,  and  feif-condemnation, 
humbhng  himfelf  in  the  fight  of  this  God.  But  the 
impenitent  finner  is  irreconcilable,  and  at  enmity  with 
fuch  a  God,  and,  in  the  pride  and  impiety  of  his  heart, 
"  replies  againft  God,"  and  fays,  "  Why  doth  he  yet 
find  fault  ?    For  who  hath  rehilcf!  his  will  ?'* 

6.  Religious  joy  in  God,  and  his  government  and 
kingdom,  is  a  branch  of  true  piety.  This  is  inculcated 
abundantly  in  the  holy  fcripture  ;  and  Chriftians  are 
commanded  to  "  rejoice  always  in  the  Lord."  And 
we  have  many  examples  of  the  religious  joy  of  pious 
perfons.  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  jo'^.  Believers  re- 
joice with  joy  unfpeakable  and  full  of  glory  ;  and  this 
}"oy  no  man  can  take  from  them.  This  is  the  joy  of  the 
benevolent  heart,  in  the  exercife  of  that  love  to  God, 
which  has  been  defcribed  above,  beholding  him  infi- 
nitely great  and  mofl  blefl'ed  forever,  having  an  im- 
controulable  dominion  over  all,  decreeing  and  fixing 
from  eternity  every  thing,  and  all  events,  in  the  wifefl 
and  beft  manner,  to  promote  and  effect  the  mofl  defirable 
and  important  end,  and  the  greatcfl  polfible  good  of 
the  whole.  With  this  the  benevolent  mind  is  fupported 
and  pleafed,  in  all  the  darknefs,  fin  and  evil  which  take 
place  in  this  world,  and  in  the  view  of  what  will  exifl 
forever  in  the  world  to  come,  knowing  that  God  has 
ordered  it  all,  for  the  fake  of  the  good  which  he  will 
bring  out  of  it  j  that  the  wrath  of  man  fliall  praife  him  ; 
and  the  remainder  of  wrath,  which  would  not  anfwer 
this,  or  any  good  end,  he  will  effectually  reflrain  and 
prevent.  In  this  view  he  has  folid,  lafting  fupport,  com- 
fort and  joy,  and  fays,  "  The   Lord  reigneth,  let 

THE  earth  rejoice.      ReJOICE  IN  THE  LORD,  YE   RIGH- 
TEOUS." 

And  as  this  truth,  taken   in  the  full  latitude  of  it,  is 
fuited  to  fupport,  comfort  and  rejoice  the  heart  of  the 

pious 


fiO  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SeRM.    XVIIL 

pious  friends  of  God,  in  whatever  Situation  they  may 
be,  and  whatever  may  be  the  appearance  of  things 
m'ound  them ;  fo  it  is  the  only  truth  which  can  fupport 
them.  If  they  give  up  or  let  go  their  hold  of  this  ftrong 
foundation  and  prop,  they  muft  link  into  gloom,  for- 
row  and  defpair.  If  they  have  no  certainty  that  God 
cannot  be  difappointed  in  his  counfel  and  deligns,  and 
that  he  has  fixed  the  beft  plan,  including  ail  events, 
which  cannot  be  altered  for  the  better ;  if  they  know 
not  but  things  may  t?-ke  place,  which  are  not  on  the 
whole  beft,  but  God  might  have  been  more  glorified, 
and  his  people  more  happy,  had  they  not  come  to  pafs  ; 
and  did  they  believe  this  to  be  the  cafe;  they  mull:  iink 
into  darknefs,  grief  and  forrow,  which  no  confideration 
could  remove,  but  mull  abide  on  their  minds  forever. 

And  when  they  behold  the  fin  and  univerfal  apoilacy 
of  mankind,  and  the  infinitely  dreadful  evils  that  are 
the  attendants  and  confequence  of  this,  and  know  that 
this  was  not  accidental,  or  afide  from  the  divine  plan  ; 
but  has  been  ordered  and  determined  by  God,  that  the 
way  might  be  opened  for  Redemption  by  the  Son  of 
God,  the  moft  glorious  work  of  God,  by  whicli  he  is 
glorified,  the  Redeemer  exalted  and  honoured  forever  ; 
and  the  redeemed  made  moft  happy  in  the  eternal  king- 
dom of  God,  in  which  they  hope  aifo  to  fliare,  and  be- 
hold and  love  and  ferve  and  praife  this  God  without 
end  ;  their  benevolent  joy  rifes  ftill  higher.  And  the 
more  they  contemplate  this  divine  contrivance  and  plan, 
with  all  its  appendages,  and  difcern  the  manifold  wif- 
dom,  and  boundiefs  goodnefs  of  it,  the  more  does  their 
joy  increafe,  and  they  are  ready  to  exclaim,  with  St. 
Paul,  "  O,  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom 
and  knowledge  of  God  !  How  unfearchable  are  his 
judgments,  and  his  ways  paft  finding  out !  For  who 
hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or  who  hath  been 
his  counfellor  ?  Or  who  hath  firfl;  given  to  him  ?  and  it 
fhall  be  recompenfed  unto  him  again.  For  of  him,  and 
through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things  ;  to  whon^,  be  glory 
forever.  Amen," 

Th€ 


S'ERMi    XVIII.       THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  3 1  ij 

The  felRfli  man  may  have  a  great  degree  of  religious 
joy  ;  but  it  is  entirely  of  a  different  nature  and  kind 
irom  the  joy  of  tlie  truly  pious  and  benevolent,  and 
there  is  no  true  piety  in  it ;  becaufe  there  is  no  true  re- 
fpccf  to  God  in  it,  no  difinterefted  regard  to  his  glory, 
and  the  public,  genera)  good,  or  the  good  of  others.  It 
is  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite,  of  the  falfe  hearted  mnn, 
who  regards  and  fceks  himi'elf  only,  his  ovi^n  fuppofed 
private,  perfonal  good.  If  he  thinks  God  loves  him, 
and  intends  to  make  him  happy  forever,  this  gives  him 
great  joy,  M'hile  his  mind  is  contracted  down  to  his  little 
fclf^  and  he  has  no  difmterefted  pleafure  and  joy,  in  be- 
holding God,  in  his  glorious  character  and  unlimited 
dominion,  and  infinite,  independent  felicity,  doing 
whatfoever  he  pleafes,  ordering  all  events  for  his  own 
^lory  and  the  general  good  ;  nor  is  he  willing  to  be  ^^':\ 
dependent  on  God,  and  fo  wholly  indebted  to  him  for 
all  good,  as  is  implied  in  his  foreordaining  whatfoever  comes 
to  pafs.  "A  brutifh  man  knoweth  not,  neiiher  doth  a 
fool  underftand  this.'*  But  the  language  of  the  pions 
friend  of  God  is,  "  Thou,  Lord,  haft  made  me  ghd 
through  thy  work:  I  will  triumph  in  the  works  of  thy 
hands.  O  Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works  !  and  thy 
thoughts  are  very  deep.  The  counfel  of  the  Lord  ftand- 
eth  forever,  and  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  gene- 
rations :''  [Pfal-  xcii.  4,  5,  6;  xxxiii.  11.]  "My  foul 
ihall  make  her  boaft  in  the  Lord  :  The  humble  fhall  hear 
thereof,  and  be  glad.  O,  magnify  the  Lord  with  me, 
and  let  us  exalt    his    name  together  :*'  \_PfaL  xxxiv, 

^'  3-]  .  . 

7.  Devotion,  which  conlifts  in  the  worfliip  of  God, 
in  Adoration,  Confeilion,  Profeflion,  Self-dedication, 
Petition,  Thanklgiving,  and  Praife,  is  a  great  and  im- 
portant branch  of  piety.  I  fhall  conlider  each  of  thefe 
parts  of  devotion  now  mentioned,  and  Ihow  that  the 
doftrine  which  has  been  deduced  from  our  text,  and 
explained,  is  fo  far  from  being  inconfiftent  with  thefe, 
that  it  is  "fuited  to  excite  and  promote  them,  and  the 
only  proper  foundation  of  them. 

Adoration 


311  THE  DEtv^Lii  6r  GOD,         Serm.  XVIll; 

Adoration  coniiils  in  recoUecling  and  attending  to, 
and,  with  profound  awe  and  religious  fear,  revering, 
the  infinitely  excellent  and  glorious  perfections  and  cha- 
racter of  the  Moft  High  God,  ixianifefted  in  his  wonder* 
ful  works,  and  molt  wife  and  univerfal  government,  in 
a  folemn  addrcis  to  him. 

Now,  no  arguments  are  needed  to  prove,  that  a  Be- 
ing of  infinite  greatnefs,  power,  rectitude,  wifdom  and 
goodncfs,  who  is  above  all  controul,  doing  what  he 
pleafes,  and  ordering  and  directing  every  thing  by  his 
counfel  and  decree,  with  irrefdlible  energy,  to  anfwef 
the  belt  end — thit  fuch  a  Being  is  the  only  proper  object 
of  this  adoration,  and  that  the  more  clear  conviction  and 
greater  impredion  and  fenfe  any  one  has  of  fuch  a  Being 
and  character,  the  ftronG:er  and  more  fervent  will  the 
€xercifes  of  his  heart  be  in  humble  adoration  ;  and  this 
is  the  only  object  that  is  luited  to  continue  and  increafe 
it  forever.  And  the  thought  that  God  might  be 
changeable  in  his  deiigns,  and  had  not  decreed  whatfo- 
ever  comes  to  pafs,  but  that  many  things  do  take  place 
contrary  to  his  vi'ill,  and  fo  as  to  render  his  plan  of 
operation  lefs  perfect  than  otherwife  it  would  have  been, 
muft  tend  greatly  to  damp,  if  not  wholly  dellroy,  thti 
moii  devout  and  rational  adoration,  and  is  inconliftent 
with  the  complete  enjoyment  and  happinefs  of  the  de* 
vout  mind. 

Confession  of  iin,  unworthinefs,  wretchednefs,  ab- 
folute  dependence  on  God  and  his  fovereign  grace,  &c. 
is  effential  to  the  devotion  of  a  {inner  :  a  conviction  and 
feeling  fenfe  of  all  this  is  implied  in  all  his  pious  exer- 
cifes,  and  intermixed  with  them. 

All  this  is  implied  in  repentance^  which  has  been  con- 
fidered  ;  and  it  has  been  ihown  that  the  truth  under 
confideration  is  fuited  to  promote  this.  The  more  clear 
view  the  finner  has  of  the  excellency  of  the  divine  cha- 
rader,  of  the  abfolute,  independent  fupremacy  of  God, 
of  his  infinite  wifdom,  rectitude  and  goodnefs,  and  his 
entire  dependence  on  the  power  and  operation  of  God, 
the  greater  fenfe  he  muft  have  of  his  obligation  to  love 

and 


SeRM.  XVIII.       THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  313 

and  obey  him  ;  and  confequently  of  his  own  guilt,  vile- 
nefs  and  ill  defert  as  a  finner  and  rebel  againil  this  God  ; 
and  feel  himfeif  utterly  loft  and  undone  :  and  therefore 
the  more  freely  and  fully  will  he  confefs  all  this.  Pro- 
fession, SELF-DEDICATION  tO  God,   THANKSGIVING  and 

PRAISE,  in  which  the  devout  worfhipper  of  God  ex- 
preffes  before  him  his  love  to  him,  and  all  the  friendly, 
pious  feelings  of  his  heart ;  devotes  himfeif  to  God, 
willing  to  ferve  him,  to  be,  do  and  fufFer  whatever  God 
pleafes  and  requires,  and  to  be  ufed  by  him  to  anfwer 
his  wife  purpofcs  ;  acknowledging  the  goodnefs  of  God, 
admiring  and  praifmg  him  for  what  he  is,  and  for  what 
he  does ;  all  this  is  grounded  on  the  infinite  perfection, 
and  glory  of  the  Deity,  who  is  "  over  all  God  bleil'ed 
forever,'*  fupreme,  independent,  "  wonderful  in  coun- 
fel,  and  excellent  in  working  ;"  whole  energy  guides 
every  motion  and  event  in  the  univerfe,  according  to 
the  counfel  of  his  own  will.  A  being  who  is  not  fu- 
preme, not  fo  powerful,  wife  and  good,  as  neceflarily  to 
foreordain  whatfoever  comes  to  pais,  could  not  be  the 
proper  objecl:  of  thefe  devout  exercifes  of  the  pious 
Jieart. 


S  f  .  SERMON 


Sermon  xix. 


The  fame  Subjecl  continued. 


Eccl.  iii.  14.     I  know  that  whatfoever  God  doth,  it  jhall  be 
forever :  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  take7ifrom 
it  /  ajid  God  doth  it,  that  men  Jhoidd  fear  before  hinu 

IN  the  preceding  difcourfe  the  exercife  of  piety  has 
been  confidered  in  a  number  of  particulars.  The 
laft  mentioned  was  devotion,  and  feveral  things  includ- 
ed in  this  have  been  confidered.  Another  branch  of 
devotion  now  requires  our  attention. 

Petition  is  that  part  of  devotion  in  which  we,  ia 
our  addrefs  to  God,  exprefs  our  dcfires,  or  alk  him  ta 
do  or  grant  that  which  to  us  appears  good  and  defirable. 
This  requires  a  more  particular  confideration,  as  fome 
have  thouq-ht  it  not  conliftent  with  the  doftrine  of 
God's  decrees,  foreordammg  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs  ; 
becaufe,  according  to  this,  every  thing  is  fixed,  and 
cannot  be  altered.  It  has  been  faid,  there  cannot  be 
any  reafon  or  motive  to  pray,  or  make  any  petition,  to 
an  unchangeable  God,  whole  defign  cannot  be  altered,  and 
who  has  fixed  all  events,  without  a  pofiibility  of  any 
change. 

Before  any  attempt  is  made  to  remove  this  objeftion, 
and  fuppofed  difficulty,  it  muft  be  obferved,  that  it 
equally  lies  againft  the  foreknowledge  of  God.  For  if  God 
certainly  foreknows  every  thing  that  will  take  place, 
then  every  event  is  fixed  and  certain,  otherwife  it  could 
not  be  foreknown.  "  Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world."  He  has  determined, 
and  paiTed  an  unchangeable  decree,  with  refped  to  all 
that  he  will  do  to  eternity.  Upon  the  plan  of  the  ob- 
jection under    confideration,  it   may  be  allied,    What 

reafon 


SiRM.    XIX.         THE    FOUNDATION    OF -PIfiTV.  315 

rcafon  or  motive  can  any  one  have  to  afk  God  to  do 
any  thing  for  him,  or  any  one  elfe,  lince  he  infalHbly 
knows  from  the  beginning  what  he  will  do,  and  there- 
fore it  is  unalterably  fixed  ?  Therefore  if  it  be  reafona- 
ble  to  pray  to  an  omnifclent  God,  it  is  equally  reafonable 
to  pray  to  an  unchangeable  God.  For  the  former  necef- 
farily  implies  the  latter.  But  in  order  to  fliow  that  the 
objection  is  without  foundation,  the  following  things 
mufl  be  obferved. 

I.  If  God  were  not  omnifcient  and  unchangeable, 
and  had  not  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs,  he 
would  not  be  the  proper  objecl  of  worfliip,  and  there 
would  be  no  foundation,  reafon  or  encouragement  to 
make  any  petition  to  him. 

This  it  is  prefumed  will  be  evident  to  any  one  who 
will  well  confider  the  following  obfervations. 

Firjl.  If  there  were  no  unchangeable,  omnifcient 
Being,  there  would  be  no  God,  no  proper  object  of 
worfhip.  A  being  who  is  capable  of  change  is  necef- 
fariiy  imperfed,  and  may  change  from  bad  to  worfe, 
and  even  ceafe  to  exift,  and  therefore  could  not  be 
trufted.  If  we  could  know  that  fuch  a  being  has  exift- 
ed,  and  that  he  was  once  wife  and  good  and  powerful, 
we  could  have  no  evidence  that  he  would  continue  to 
be  wife  or  good,  or  that  he  is  fo  now,  or  that  he  is  now 
difpofed  to  pay  any  regard  to  our  petitions,  or  is  either 
willing  or  able  to  grant  them  ;  or  even  that  he  has 
any  exiftence.  What  reafon  of  encouragement  then 
can  there  be  to  pray  to  a  changeable  being  ?  Surely 
none  at  all.  Therefore,  if  there  be  no  reafon  to  pray 
to  an  unchangeable  God,  there  can  be  no,  reafon  to  pray 
at  all. 

Secondly.  If  God  be  infinitely  wife,  and  good,  and 
omnipotent,  fupreme  and  independent ;  then  he  certain- 
ly is  uncliangeable,  and  has  foreordained  whatfoever 
comes  to  pafs.  This  has  been  proved  above,  or  rather 
is  felf-evident.  But  if  he  be  not  infinitely  wife  and 
good,  5cc.  then  he  cannot  be  trufi:ed ;  he  cannot  be  the 
object  of  that  truft  and  confidence  which  is  implied, 
and  even  exprelTedj  in  praying  to  him.  Th'-dlv 


%l6  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,      -.     SeRxM.    XIX. 

Thirdly.  The  truly  pious,  benevolent,  devout  man 
would  not  dcfire,  or  even  dare,  to  pray  to  God  for  any 
tiling,  if  he  Vv^ere  changeable,  and  difpofed  to  alter  his 
purpofe  and  plan,  in  order  to  grant  his  petitions. 
Therefore  he  never  does  pray  to  any  but  an  uncbangeab/ir 
God,  whole  counfel  ftands  forever,  and  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  to  all  generations.  He  is  fenfible  that  he  is  a 
very  imperfect  creature ;  that  his  heart,  his  will,  is 
awfully  depraved  and  fuiful ;  that  he  knows  not  what 
is  wifeft  and  bcft  to  be  done  in  any  one  inftance  ;  what 
is  beft  for  him,  for  mankind  in  general,  for  the  world, 
or  for  the  univerfe  ;  what  is  moll  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  greateil  general  good  ;  and  that  it  v/ould  be  in- 
finitely undefirable  and  dreadful  to  have  his  own  will 
regarded  fo  as  to  govern  in  determining  what  Jhall 
be  done  for  him  or  any  other  being,  or  what  Ihall  take 
place.  If  it  could  be  left  to  him  to  determine  in  the 
ieafr  inftance,  he  vvould  not  dare  to  do  it,  but  would  re- 
fer it  back  to  God,  and  fay,  "  Not  ?ny  will,  but  ibine,  be 
done.'*  But  he  could  not  do  this,  unlefs  he  were  certain 
that  the  will  of  God  was  unchangeably  wife  and  good, 
and  that  he  had  decreed  to  do  what  was  moft  for  his 
own  glory,  and  the  greatefi:  good  of  the  whole  ;  at  the 
fame  time  infallibly  knowing  what  muft  take  place,  in 
every  inftance,  in  order  to  anUver  this  end  ;  and  confe- 
quently  muil  have  fixed  upon  the  moil  wife  and  belt 
plan,  foreordaining  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs.  There- 
fore, whatever  be  his  petitions  for  himfelf,  or  for  others, 
he  Oxfers  them  to  God,  and  afKS,  on  ibis  condition,  always 
either  expreiled  or  implied,  Jf  it  be  agreeable  to  thy  zvill  : 
for  otherivife  he  would  not  have  his  petitions  granted,  if 
it  were  poiTible.  And  he  who  aiks  any  thing  of  God, 
without  making  this  condition,  but  fets  up  his  own  will, 
and  defires  to  have  it  eratiiied,  whether  it  be  for  the  do- 
ry  of  God,  and  the  greateft  good  of  his  kingdom,  or 
not ;  and  would,  were  it  in  his  power,  compel  his  Maker 
to  grant  his  petition,  and  bow  the  v/ill  of  God  to  his 
own  will ;  he  who  prays  to  God  with  fuch  a  difpofition, 
is  an  impious  enemy  to  God,  exercifes  no  true  devotion, 

and 


SeRM.    XIX.  THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  317 

and  cannot  be  heard  ;  and  it  is  defirable  to  all  the  friends 
of  God  that  he  fliould  be  rejecled.  Refignation  to  the 
will  of  God  always  fuppofes  his  will  is  ■unchangeably  fix- 
ed and  eftablilhed,  which  it  could  not  be,  unleis  he  has 
foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs. 

Thus  it  appears  that  if  God  were  changeable,  and 
had  not  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs,  there 
would  be  no  foundation  for  religious  worfliip,  or  rca- 
fon  for  praying  to  him  ;  or  that  there  can  be  no  reafon 
or  encouragement  for  prayer  and  petition  to  any  but 
an  unchajigcable  God. — I  proceed  to  obferve, 

2.  There  is  good  reafon,  and  all  defirable  and  poffible 
encouragement,  to  pray  to  an  unchangeable  God,  who 
has  from  eternity  determined  what  he  will  do,  in  every 
inftance,  and  has  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs. 

This  Vvrill  doubtlefs  be  evident,  to  him  who  will  duly 
conhder  the  following  particulars. 

Firji.  Prayer  is  as  proper,  important  and  necefFary, 
in  order  to  obtain  favour  from  an  unchangeable  God, 
as  it  could  be  were  he  changeable,  and  had  not  foreor- 
dained any  thing. 

Means  are  as  neceffary  in  order  to  obtain  the  end,  as 
if  nothing  were  fixed  and  certain.  Though  it  Vv-as  de- 
creed that  Paul  and  all  the  men  in  the  fhip  fhould  get 
llife  to  land,  when  they  were  in  a  Horm  at  fea  ;  yet  this 
mufl  be  accompliflied  by  means,  and  unlefs  the  faiiors 
had  aiiifled  in  managing  the  fliip,  this  event  could  not 
take  place,  and  they  could  not  be  faved.  Prayer  is  a 
means  of  obtaining  what  God  has  determined  to  grant ; 
for  he  has  determined  to  give  it  in  anfwer  to  prayer, 
and  no  other  way.  "Afe,  and  ye  ihall  receive,"  fays  our 
Saviour.  When  God  had  promifed  to  do  many  and 
great  things  for  Ifrael,  he  adds,  "  Thus  faith  the' Lord 
God,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  houfe  of 
Ifrael,  to  do  it  for  them  :"  \_Ezek.  xxxvi.  t^j,']  The 
granting  the  favours,  which  God  had  determined  to 
befcow,  was  as  much  fufpended  on  their  afliing  for 
them,  as  if  there  had  been  nothing  determined  and  fix- 
ed about  it.     There  is  as  much  regard  ha-d  to  prayer  in 

granting 


31^  THE    DECREES    OF    ©OB,  SeRM.    XIX. 

granting  favours,  and  the  prayer  is  heard,  and  God 
gives  them,  as  really  and  as  much  in  anfwer  to  it,  as  if 
there  were  nothing  determined  and  foreordained  re- 
fpecling  them  :  for  the  decree  includes  and  fixes  the 
means,  as  much  as  the  end ;  the  method  and  way  by 
which  events  are  to  take  place,  as  much  as  thofe  events 
themfelves.  The  one  depends  on  the  other,  as  much 
as  if  there  were  no  decree,  and  nothing  fixed ;  yea, 
much  more  :  for  the  decree  fixes  the  dependence  and 
conneclion  between  the  means  and  the  end  :  whereas 
if  there  M'ere  no  decree,  and  nothing  fixed,  there  would 
be  no  cftabliihed  connection,  but  all  would  be  uncertain, 
and  there  would  be  no  reafon  or  encouragement  to  ufe 
means,  or  do  any  thing  to  obtain  an  end. 

Surely,  then,  there  is  as  much  reafon  and  encourage- 
ment to  pray  to  an  unchangeable  God,  and  this  is  as 
important  and  neceifary,  as  if  there  were  nothing  fixed 
by  the  divine  decrees,  and  much  more  :  yea,  the  un- 
changeable purpofes  of  God  are  the  neceffary  and  only 
proper  ground  and  reafon  of  prayer. 

Secondly.  Though  prayer  is  not  defigned  to  make 
?ny  change  in  God,  or  alter  his  purpofe,  which  is  im- 
poiTible ;  yet  it  is  fuited  and  defigned  to  have  an  effect 
on  the  petitioner,  and  prepare  him  to  receive  that 
for  which  he  prays.  And  this  is  a  good  reafon  why  he 
ihould  pray.  It  tends  to  make  the  petitioner  to  feel 
more  and  more  fenfibly  his  wants,  and  thofe  of  others 
for  whom  he  prays,  and  the  miferable  ftate  in  which  he 
and  they  are  :  for  in  prayer  thefe  are  called  up  to  view, 
and  dwelt  upon  :  and  prayer  tends  to  give  a  fenfe  of 
the  worth  and  importance  of  the  favours  afked.  It  is 
alfo  fuited  to  make  perions  feel,  more  and  more,  their 
own  helpleflfnefs,  and  entire  dependence  on  God  for 
the  favours  for  which  they  petition,  of  which  their 
praying  is  an  acknowledgement :  and  therefore  tends 
to  enhance  them  in  the  eyes  of  the  petitioner,  when 
given  in  anfwer  to  prayer,  and  to  make  him  more  fenfi- 
ble  of  the  free,  fovereign  goodnefs  of  God  in  granting 

them* 


SeRM.    XIX.  THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  319 

them.*  In  fum,  this  is  fuited  to  keep  the  exigence  and 
character  of  God  in  view,  and  imprefs  a  fenfc  of  re- 
ligious truths  in  general  on  the  mind,  and  to  form  the 
mind  to  univerfal  obedience,  and  a  confcicntious  watch- 
fuh^.efs  and  circumfpe(5tion5  in  all  religious  exercifcs. 

Thirdly.  It  is  reafonable,  and  highly  proper  and  im- 
portant, and  for  the  honour  of  God,  that  the  friends  of 
God  fhould  exprefs  and  acknowledge  their  entire  de- 
pendence on  him,  and  trull  in  him,  for  all  they  want 
for  themfelves  and  others,  and  their  belief  in  the  power, 
wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God ;  and  all  this  is  acknow- 
ledged, exprefsly  or  implicitly,  in  prayer  to  God.  It  is 
alfo  reafonable  and  proper  that  they  fliould  exprefs  their 
dcfirc  of  thofe  things  which  are  needed  by  themfelves 
or  others,  and  which  God  alone  can  give  or  accompHUi : 
and  fuch  deiires  are  exprelTed  in  the  beft  way  and  man- 
ner by  petitioning  for  them.  And  in  afking  for 
bleflings  on  others,  and  praying  for  their  enemies,  they 
exprefs  their  dihnterefted  benevolence,  which  is  an  ad- 
vantage to  themfelves,  and  pleafing  to  God,  even  though 
their  petitions  ihould  have  no  influence  in  procuring 
the  favours  which  they  afe.  And  in  praying  that  God 
would  honour  himfelf,  and  advance  his  own  kingdom, 
and  accomplifh  all  the  great  and  glorious  things  which 

he 

*  A  kind  and  wife  father,  who  defigns  to  give  his  child  fome  par- 
ticular favour,  will  bring  the  child  to  allc  for  it  before  he  bcftows  it, 
and  will  fulpend  the  gift  upon  this  condition,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
•child,  that  what  he  grants  may  be  a  real  advantage  to  him,  and  a 
greater  than  if  it  were  given  before  the  child  v/as  better  prepared  to 
receive  it,  by  earneftly  and  humbly  afking  for  it;  and  that  the 
father  may  hereby  receive  a  proper  acknowledgement  from  ths 
child,  and  be  treated  in  a  becoming  manner.  And  in  this  cafe,  the 
petition  of  the  child  is  as  really  regarded,  heard  and  granted,  and 
the  child's  application  and  prayer  to  the  father  is  as  much  a  means 
of  obtaining  the  favour,  and  as  proper,  important  and  neceffary,  as 
if  the  father  had  not  previoufly  determined  the  whole  affair.  And 
when  the  children  of  fuch  a  father  know  that  this  is  his  way  oi  be- 
flowing  favours  on  them,  they  will  have  as  proper  motives,  and  as 
much  encouragement,  to  afk  for  all  they  want,  as  if  he  had  not  de- 
termined what  he  would  do  ajitecedent  to  their  afking  him  ;  yea, 
much  more. 


320  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SlRM.    XIX. 

he  has  promifed  to  do  for  his  own  honour,  and  the 
good  ot  his  people,  they  do  not  expreis  any  doubts  of 
liis  fulfilling  his  promifcs,  but  are  certain  he  will  grant 
their  petitions  ;  but  they  hereby  exprefs  their  acquief- 
ccnce  in  thefe  things,  and  their  earneft  dehre  that  they 
may  be  accompUflied  ;  and  alfo  profefs  and  exprefs 
their  love  to  God,  and  friendlliip  to  his  people  and 
kingdom  ;  and  do  that  which  the  feelings  of  a  pious, 
benevolent  heart  will  naturally,  and  even  necefi'arily, 
prompt  them  to  do. 

.  We  have  many  examples  of  fuch  petitions  and  pray- 
ers for  thofe  things  and  events,  which  the  petitioners, 
antecedent  to  their  prayers,  knew  w^ould  certainly,  be 
accom.pliuied.  We  have  a  decifrve  and  remarkable  in- 
ftance  of  this  in  David,  the  King  of  Ifrael,  in  the  follow- 
ing words :  "  And  now,  O  Lord  God,  the  word  that 
thou  haft  fpoken  concerning  thy  fervant,  and  concern- 
ing his  houfe,  eftablifh  it  forever,  and  do  as  thou  haji  faid. 
And  let  thy  name  te  magnified  forever,  faying.  The. 
Lord  of  hoils  is  the  God  over  Ifrael :  and  let  the  houfe 
of  thy  fervant  David  be  eflablifhed  before  thee.  For 
thou,  O  Lord  of  Hofts,  God  of  Ifrael,  haft  revealed  to 
thy  fervant,  faying,  /  %vill  build  thee  an  houfe  :  therefore 
hath  th)'  fervant  found  in  his  heart  to  pray  this  prayer  before 
thee.  And  now,  O  Lord  God,  thou  art  that  God,  and 
thy  words  be  true,  and  thou  haft  promifed  this  good- 
nefs  unto  thy  fervant.  Therefore  now  let  it  pleafe  thee 
to  blefs  the  houfe  of  thy  fervant,  that  it  may  continue 
forever  before  thee ;  for  thou,  O  Lord  God,  haft 
fpoken  it,  and  with  thy  bleffing  let  the  houfe  of  thy 
Icrvant  be  blefled  forever  :'*  [2  Sam.  vii.  25 — 29.]  Here 
David  not  only  prays  God  to  do  that  which  at  the  fame 
time  he  knew  and  acknowledges  God  had  promifed  to 
do ;  and  therefore  it  was  eftablillied  as  firm  as  the 
throne  of  the  Almighty,  and  decreed  that  it  fliould  take 
place  ;  but  he  fays  that  this  promife  of  God,  making  it 
certain,  was  the  reafon,  motive  and  encouragement  to 
him  to  make  this  prayer  :  "  Thou,  O  Lord,  haft  re- 
vealed  to    thy    fervant,  faying,  I  will  build   thee    an 

houfe. 


SfiRM.    XIX.  TH£    FOU^-DATION    OF    PIETY.  32 1 

houfe.     And  now,  O  Lord  God,  thou  art  that  God, 

and  thy  words  be  true,  and  thou  hajl  promifed  this  goodncfs 
unto    thy  fervant ;     therlfori:    hath    thy    servant 

FOUND    IN    HIS  HEART    TO    PRAY    THIS    PRAYER    BEFORE 

THEE.'*  We  hence  are  warranted  to  affert  that  it  is 
rcafonable  and  proper  to  pray  for  that  wljch  God  has 
promilcd ;  and  that  the  certainty  that  it  will  be  ac- 
complillied  is  a  motive  and  encouragement  to  pray  for 
it.  How  greatly  then  do  they  err  who  think  that  if 
every  event  is  made  certain  by  God's  decree,  there  is 
no  reafon  or  encouragement  to  pray  for  any  thing  ! 

Our  Saviour,  in  the  pattern  of  prayer  which  lie  has 
dictated,  directs  men  to  pray  that  God  would  bring  to 
■pafs  thofe  events  which  were  already  fixed  and  decreed, 
and  therefore  muil  infallibly  take  place  :  "  Our  Father, 
who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  he  thy  name  ;  thy  kingdom  come^ 
thy  will  be  done,'^  &c. 

Chrift  himfelf,  in  the  17th  chapter  of  John,  prays  for 
thofe  whom  the  Father  had  given  tj  him,  that  he  would 
keep  them  through  his  own  name,  and  that  they  might 
be  one,  as  the  Father  and  Son  were  one  ;  might  be  kept 
from  the  evil  in  the  world,  and  be  fancliiied  through 
the  truth ;  that  they  might  be  with  him  in  heaven 
forever,  and  behold  his  glory.  At  the  fame  time  he 
knew  that  all  this  was  made  certain  to  them  ;  for  he 
had  before  faid,  that  all  that  were  given  to  him  fhould 
come  to  him,  and  he  would  raife  them  up  at  the  lait 
day ;  that  he  would  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and 
not  one  of  them  fhould  perifh,  as  none  Ihould  be  able 
to  pluck  them  out  of  his  hands,  or  his  Father's.  Ke 
prays,  "  Father,  glorify  thy  name  j"  not  becaufe  this 
event  was  uncertain,  but  to  exprefs  his  earneft  deiirc  of 
that  which  he  knew  was  decreed,  and  could  not  but 
take  place,  and  his  willingnefs  to  give  up  every  thing, 
even  his  own  life,  to  promote  this.  Again,  Chriil 
prays  in  the  following  words  :  "  And  nov/,  O  Father, 
glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  felf,  with  the  glory 
which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was.'*  The 
event  for  which  Chriil  prays  in  thefe  v/ords  was  decreed 
T  t  froui 


3^2.  TKB    DECREES    OP    GOD,  SeRM.    XIX, 

from  eternity,  and  the  decree  had  been  long  before  pub- 
lillied,  in  the  2d  and  i  loth  Pfahns  •.  "  I  will  declare  the 
decree :  The  Lord  hath  faid  unto  me,  Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Aik  of  me,  and  I 
will  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inlKiritance,  and 
the  uttermoft  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  pofi'effion.  Sit 
thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footflool."  And  he  had  declared  the  certainty  of  that 
for  which  he  here  prays,  fmce  his  incarnation.  He 
had  faid,  that  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  was  given 
unto  him  ;  that  "  the  Father  had  committed  all  judg- 
ment unto  the  Son  ;  that  all  men  fhould  honour  the 
Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father.  St.  Paul,  when 
fpeaking  of  God,  often  introduces  the  following  words  : 
"■  To  whom  be  glory  forever,  Amen  ;"  which  is  not  to 
be  conlidered  as  a  mere  doxology,  by  which  glory  is 
irfcribed  to  God ;  but  it  is  rather  a  wiJIj^  or  deftre,  that 
God  may  be  glorified  forever  ;  and  thc.Ajnen  corrobo- 
rates it :  as  if  he  had  faid,  "  Let  it  be  fo  ;  this  is  the 
moft  ardent  defire  of  my  foul,  including  the  fum  of  all 
my  petitions.'*  Here  then  the  Apoftle  utters  a  delire 
and  petition  for  that  which  he  knew  was  decreed,  and 
would  take  place. 

The  laft  words  of  Chrifl  to  his  church  are,  "  Surely 
I  come  quickly."  Upon  which  promiie  the  following 
petition  of  the  church,*and  of  every  friend  of  his,  is  pre- 
fented  to  him  :  "  Amen,  even  fo  come  Lord  Jefus." 
Here  is  a  petition,  in  which  all  Chriftians  join,  praying 
Chrifc  to  do  what  he  has  promifed  ;  and  which  there- 
fore was  as  certain  as  a  declared  decree  could  poflibly 
make  it  :  and  the  petition  is  grounded  on  this  promife 
and  decree  publifhed  by  Chrift,  in  which  the  petitioners 
cxprefs  their  hearty  approbation  of  the  coming  of  Chrift, 
and  earneft  defire  of  this  important  and  happy  event. 
And  if  it  be  ren.r;-riable  thus  to  pray  for  an  event  which 
is  fixed  and  made  certain  by  an  unchangeable  decree, 
and  cannot  be  altered,  as  in  the  inftance  before  us  5 
then  it  is  reafonable  and  proper  to  pray  for  any  thing 
or  any  event  which  appears  to  us  defirable  and  impor- 

tantj 


SeRM.    XIX.         THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  323 

tant,  though  we  know  God  is  unchangeable,  and 
that  all  things  and  every  event  are  fixed  by  an  unaltera- 
ble decree. 

The  apoftle  John  fays,  "  And  this  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  afk  any  thing  according  to 
bis  zviU,  he  heareth  us.     And  if  we  know  that  he  hear- 
eth  us,  whatfoever  we  all?:,  we  know  that  we  have  the 
petitions  that  we  dcfired  of  him  :"  [i  John  v.  14,  15.] 
To  afk  for  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  is  to  aik  for 
thofe  things  which  it  is  agreeable  to  his  vv^ill  to  grant  ; 
and  this  is  to  be  knov/n  only  by  what  he  has  revealed. 
When  we  afk  him  to  do  what  he  has  declared  he  will 
do,  then  we  know  we  afk  for  that  which  is  according 
to  his  will ;  and  confequently,  that  we  have  our  peti- 
tions.    But  it  will  be  afked.  What  are  thefe  things  ?     I 
anfwer,  That  God  will  glorify  himfelf  in  all  things,  and 
make  the  brightefl  difplay  of  his  perfections  and  charac- 
ter forever  ;  that  he  will  promote  and  effecl  the  greateft 
pofiible  good  of  the  univerfe  ;  that  he  will  make  his 
church  and  kingdom  perfectly  happy  and  glorious  for- 
ever ;  that  he  will  accomplifli  all  his  defigns  and  predic- 
tions, and  fulfil  all  liis  promifes  to  his  church  and  peo- 
ple ;  and  caufe  all  things  to  v/ork  for  the  good  of  thofe 
who  love  him  ;  and  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  all  who  afli 
him.     Thefe,  I  think,  muil  be  the  things  we  aik,  when 
we  know  that  we  pray  for  any  thing  according  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  confequentiy  know  that  he  heareth  us,  and 
that  wc  have  the  petitions  that  we  defired  of  him.    But 
in  all  thefe  in  fiances  we  afls:  for  that  which  God  has 
faid  he  will  do,  that  is,    has  decreed   that  he  will  do 
them.     And  as  it  has  been  faid  before,  if  a  decree  in 
theic  inftances  does  not  render  it  unreafon<ibie  or  im- 
proper to  pray  for  their  accomplirnment ;  then,  if  God 
has  decreed  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs,  this  is  not  in  the 
leafl  inconfiRcnt  with  our  praying  for  whatever  appears 
to  us  dehrable  and  good,  and  may  not  be  contrary  to 
the  VvTill  of  God  to  grant.     But  here  it  muft  be  obferv- 
ed,  that  when  we  afk  for  any  particular  things  or  events 
which,  though  it  may  not  be  contrary  to  the  will  of 

God 


334  THE    DECREES    07    GOI>,  SeRM.    XIX. 

God  to  grant,  yet  he  has  in  no  way  revealed  that  it  is 
his  will  to  grant  our  petitions  ;  when  we  afl^  for  any 
fuch  thing,  we  inuft  do  it  with  an  exprefs  or  implicit 
reierve — If  it  be  accord'mg  to  the  will  of  God.  Othcrv/ife, 
or  if  it  be  not  according  to  his  will,  we  muft  withdraw 
cur  petition,  and  not  defire  to  have  it  granted.  Re- 
lignation  to  the  will  of  God,  whatever  it  may  be,  in 
ail  fuch  inftances,  is  effential  to  the  pious  petitions  of  a 
benevolent  friend  of  God.  x\nd  by  thus  referring  to 
the  will  of  God,  and  refigning  to  that,  defiring  it  may 
be  done  in  all  cafes,  whatever  petitions  we  may  make, 
we  do  refer  to  the  decrees  of  God,  by  which  he  has  de- 
termined v.'hat  he  will  do  in  every  particular  inftance ; 
for  his  will  and  his  decrees  are"  in  this  cafe  one  and  the 
farne,  being  fixed  and  unchangeable. 

i'GZirthly.  It  is  not  only  proper  and  important  that 
the  worfhippers  of  God  fnould  exprefs  their  defires  of 
thofe  things  which  they  want,  in  praying  for  them  ;  but 
were  this  not  true,  and  were  not  alking  for  them  the 
means  and  way  of  obtaining  them  ;  yet  the  pious 
friends  of  God  would  elleem  it  a  privilege  and  enjoy- 
ment to  be  allov/ed  and  invited,  "  by  prayer  and  fup- 
plication,  with  tliankfgiving,  to  make  known  their  re-, 
cuefts  unto  him."  To  them  prayer  is  not  a  tajh^  from 
which  they  would  be  g)ad  to  be  excufed,  but  they 
practife  it  with  pleafure.  They  have  great  (iipport, 
enjoyment  and  happinefs  in  calling  their  cares  upon 
God,  and  expreiling  the  defires  of  their  hearts  to  him. 
While  others  reftrain  prayer  before  God,  and  fay, 
*'What  is  the  Almighty,  that  v^e  fhould  fcrve  him? 
and  what  profit  fiiould  v/e  have  if  we  pray  unto  him  ?" 
the  benevolent  friend  of  God  would  pray,  were  it  only 
for  the  enjoyment  which  he  has  in  the  exercife  ;  and 
fays  in  his  heart,  *•  I  will  call  upon  God  as  long  as  I 
live."  And  thou2:h  he  is  certain  that  God  is  un- 
changeable,  and  that  nothing  is  done,  or  will  come  to 
pafs,  which  is  not  foreordained  by  him,  this  does  not 
tend  to  prevent  or  in  the  leaft  abate  the  pleafure  and 
enjoyment  he  has  in  making  known  his  rcquefts  to  God, 

or 


SeRM.    XIX.  THl    FOUNDATION    OF    PIfiTV.  32^ 

or  his  defire  conftantly  to  praftife  it :  but  this  truth 
gives  him  fupport  and  coniolation,  and  increafes  his 
delight  in  calling  upon  God,  and  renders  it  more  dc- 
firabie  and  pleaiant  unto  him  :  yea,  were  not  this  a 
truth,  he  could  not  find  any  rcafon  for  making  his  re- 
quefts  known  to  him,  or  any  delight  in  doing  it  ;  and 
would  not  have  any  encouragement,  or  even  dare,  to 
alk  for  any  thing,  as  has  been  obferved  and  {hewn. 

And  now  this  matter  is  to  be  left  to  the  judgment  of 
every  one  who  will  attend  to  it.  It  is  hoped  that  it  ap- 
pears evident,  beyond  all  difpute,  from  the  light  in 
which  this  fubjecl;  has  been  now  fet,  that  the  doctrine 
of  God's  decreeing  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs  is  not  on- 
ly confident  with  all  the  exercifes  of  true  piety,  but  is 
the  proper  foundation  for  this,  and  is  fuited  to  excite 
and  promote  thefe  exercifes  ;  and  that  there  can  be  no 
real  piety  which  is  not  confiflent  with  this  truth. 

Improvement  of  the  Subject. 

I.  It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid  on  tliis  fub- 
ject,  that  they  who  are  in  their  hearts  oppofed  to  this 
dodtrine  of  the  decrees  of  God,  are  ftrangers  to  true 
piety,  and  do  not  fear  before  God.  Though  they  may 
have  exercifes  which  they  call  and  think  to  be  piety  and 
real  religion,  and  it  may  have  an  appearance  of  it  to 
others ;  vet  it  has  nothing:  of  the  real  nature  of  true 
piety,  but  is  enmity  and  oppolition  to  the  true  God. 
They  may  think  they  love  God,  and  are  fpeaking  for 
him,  and  to  his  honour,  and  in  favour  of  religion, 
while  they  are  ftrenuoufly  oppofmg  this  doctrine,  as 
difhonourable  to  God,  and  deitruclive  to  all  virtue  and 
true  religion  :  but  they  are  deceived,  and  are  really 
oppofmg  and  difhonouring  the  true  God,  and  denying 
and  renouncinsr  that  truth  which  is  the  only  founda- 
tion  or  true  piety. 

This  will,  without  doubt,  be  thought  very  uncharita- 
ble by  many,  as  it  condemns  a  great  part  of  profefling 
Chriftians,  as  deftitute  of  true  piety,  and  not  real 
Chriftians.     But  is  it  the  ofiice  of  charity  to  give  up  the 

truth 


3*6  THE    DECREES    OF    GOD,  SerM.    XIX. 

truth  becaufe  it  condemns  ourfelves  or  our  fellow  men  ? 
Is  it  uncharitable  to  think  and  fpeak  according  to  the 
truth,  and  to  cenfure  thofe  who  are  cenfured  by  the 
God  of  truth  ?  True  charity,  or  love,  "  rejoiceth  not  in 
iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth.''*  If  the  fubject  we 
have  been  coniidering  has  been  juftly  reprefented,  and 
the  truth  eftabiiflied  by  undeniable  evidence  ;  then  this 
inference  that  has  now  been  made  follows  with  the 
greateil  certainty,  and  muft  be  admitted,  however  many 
are  cenfured  and  condemned  by  it,  and  be  they  who 
they  may. 

It  is  to  be  carefully  obferved,  that  the  inference  is, 
*'  Whofoever  in  their  hearts^  and  in  the  exercife  of  what 
they  call  piety,  oppofe  this  dodrine  of  God's  foreor- 
daining whatfoever  comes  to  pafs,  have  no  real  real  re- 
ligion.'* Perfons  may,  through  the  prejudices  of  educa- 
tion, or  fome  other  way,  be  led  to  mifunderftand  this 
doctrine,  and  have  very  wrong  conceptions  of  it,  and 
imbibe  prejudices  againll  it,  in  their  fpeculations  ;  and 
yet  the  exercife  of  their  hearts  be  in  fome  meafure  agreea- 
ble to  it,  in  the  practice  of  real  piety.  Their  piely  may 
not  prevent  or  remove  all  their  wrong  and  miftaken 
fpeculations  and  conceptions  on  this  point.  But  M  their 
hearts  oppofe  this  truth,  which  is  the  foundation  of  all 
true  piety,  their  hearts  are  not  right  with  God,  but 
they  muft  be  enemies  to  him,  and  in  the  gall  of  bitter- 
nefs,  and  bonds  of  iniquity,  whatever  fpecious  pretences 
they  may  make  of  love  to  God,  and  of  devotion. 

On  the  other  hand,  perfons  may  be  right  in  their 
fpeculations  on  this  point,  and  be  fully  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  this  do6lrine,  yea,  be  very  zealous  in  arguing 
for  it,  and  vindicating  it  againft  oppofers  ;  and  yet  never 
heartily  fubmit  to  it,  but  really  oppofe  it  in  their  hearts, 
and  be  wholly  ftrangers  to  every  exercife  of  true  piety. 

On  the  whole,  he  who  cordially  fubmits  to  this 
do6brine,  and  has  cxercifcs  of  heart  anfwerable  to  it,  is  a 
pious  man,  and  fears  before  God,  whatever  his  fpecula- 
tions may  be.  And  he  whofe  heart  oppofes  this  doc- 
trine, in  the  whole  tenor  of  his  exercifes,  is  a  iiuanger  to 

true 


SeRM.  XIX.  THl    fOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  327 

true  piety,  though  he  may  be  orthordox  in  his  fpecula- 
tive  opinion.  It  is  deiirable,  however,  that  every 
man's  judgment  and  fpeculations  lliould  be  according 
to  the  truth  :  and  it  cannot  be  ealily  accounted  for 
that  a  perfon  whofe  heart  is  truly  pious  and  benevo- 
lent lliould  continue  to  difbelieve  and  rejed  this  doc- 
trine, when  under  all  proper  and  defirable  advantages 
to  get  light  and  inftrudion,  to  have  all  his  faife  concep- 
tions of  it  removed,  to  know  what  it  is,  what  is,  and 
what  is  not,  implied  in  it,  and  to  learn  the  foundation 
and  reafon  of  it,  and  how  exprefsly  and  abundantly, 
and  in  a  variety  of  ways,  it  is  taught  and  inculcated  in 
the  holy  fcriptures. 

And  if  a  perfon  under  all  thefe  advantages  and  in- 
ftructions  perfeveres  i:i  renouncing  and  oppofing  this 
do(ftrine,  as  very  difagreeable,  and  overthrowing  all  re- 
ligion,, with  an  obftinacy  and  zeal  which  appear  to  pro- 
ceed from  the  difpohtion  and  feelings  of  the  heart,  we 
have  realon  to  fear,  yea,  to  determine,  that  the  heart  is 
not  right  with  God,  and  that  fuch  oppofition  flows 
from  this  root  of  bitternefs. 

That  the  unrenev/ed,  felfifh,  impenitent  man  fhould 
diflike  and  oppofe  this  doctrine,  can  be  eaiily  accounted 
for.  For  it  appears  from  what  has  been  faid  on  this 
fubje^l,  that  it  muft  be,  of  all  things  moft  difagreeable 
to  him,  and  that  to  which  one  of  fuch  a  difpolition  and 
character  can  never  fubmit.  But  that  he  who  is  born 
of  God,  and  has  a  humble,  benevolent  heart,  and  loves 
and  fears  God,  and  delights  in  the  Bible,  meditating 
therein  day  and  night,  is  pieafed  to  have  God  exalted, 
as  a  glorious,  om.nipotent,  unchangeable,  infinitely  wife 
and  good  fovereign  of  the  univerfe,  and  to  have  proud 
man  humbled  and  abafed  before  him ;  that  fuch  an  one 
fhould  not  believe  that  God  has  foreordained  whatfoever 
comes  to  pafs,  but  oppofe  and  be  difpleafed  with  fuch  a 
do6frine,  is  quite  unaccountable. 

II.  This  fubjecl  teaches  us  the  reafon  and  importance 
of  making  the  glory  of  God  our  fupreme  end  in  all  we 
do. 

I.    Becaufe 


32§  THE    DECREES    OF    G(5D,  SeRM.    XtKi 

1.  Becaufe  this  is  the  higheft,  beft  and  moft  impor- 
tant end  that  can  be  propoled  and  purfued,  and  there- 
fore moft  agreeable  to  wifdom  and  benevolence. 

2.  Becaufe  God  himfelf  makes  this  his  end  in  all  his 
works.  This  is  afferted  in  the  truth  which  is  eftabliih- 
ed  in  the  foregoing  difcourfe,  viz.  That  God  hath,  for 
his  cjun  glory ^  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pafs ; 
and  it  has  been  fhown  that  this  muft  be  the  fupreme  end 
of  the  infinitely  wife  and  benevolent  Being,  in  all  he 
does,  and  that  this  is  neceffarily  included  in  the  affertion 
in  our  text,  "  That  vv^hatfoever  God  doth,  it  fliall  be 
forever.'*  It  is  certainly  reafonable  that  we  ihould  pur- 
fue  the  fame  end  that  God  does  in  his  works,  and 
herein  imitate  him,  as  his  children.  If  it  be  wife  and 
benevolent  in  God  to  lay  a  plan  and  purfue  it  to  glorify 
himfelf,  to  make  the  brighteft  difplay  of  his  own  per- 
fections, wifdom  and  benevolence  will  lead  us  to  do  ail 
for  the  fame  end. 

3.  Becaufe  the  glory  of  God,  the  greateft  manifefta- 
tion  and  difplay  of  the  divine  character  and  perfeftions, 
includes  the  greateft  poflible  good  of  the  created  uni- 
verfe  j  for  in  producing  and  efle£ling  this,  the  omnipo- 
tence, infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God  are  acted 
out  and  manifefted  to  the  greateft  advantage,  to  be  feen 
by  creatures.  The  glory  of  God,  and  the  greateft 
happinefs  of  the  creation,  therefore,  cannot  be  feparated, 
as  two  diftincl  and  different  ends,  fmce  the  one  necef- 
farily implies  and  involves  the  other.  The  higheft 
happinefs  of  a  creature  confifts  in  the  knowledge  and 
enjoyment  of  God,  in  beholding,  loving  and  glorifying 
him  ;  and  therefore  the  more  his  perfeclions  are  mani- 
fefted to  the  creation,  the  more  happy  will  creatures  be  } 
and  the  greater  the  happinefs  and  glory  of  the  creation 
is,  the  more  is  God  glorified,  the  greater  is  the  difplay 
of  his  power,  wifdom  and  goodnefs.  Does  it  not  hence 
follow,  that  the  glory  of  God  implies  all  poflible  good, 
and  therefore  is  to  be  fought  as  the  fupreme  end  ?  How 
reafonable  and  important  then  is  it  that  we  lliould  with 
zeal  and  fervour  of  mind  conftantly  aim  at  this  end,  in 

obedience 


'SfRM.    XIX.  THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  32^ 

obedience  to  the  apaftjlic  injunction,  "  Whether  there- 
fore ye  eat  or  drink,  or  wbatfocver  ye  do,  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God !" 

4.  BecauTe  he  who  makes  the  glory  of  God  his 
fupreme  end,  and  confequently  fecks  the  greateft  good 
and  happincf;  of  the  creation,  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
IS  neccllarily  happy  himfelf.  His  benevolence,  by  which 
he  makes  this  grand  object  his  fupreme  end,  and  places 
his  happlnefs  in  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  greateft 
general  good,  will  neceffirily  render  him  happy,  in  fee- 
ing this  end  completely  accompliflied,  :is  it  will  be  to  the 
utmoil  of  his  willies,  and  far  beyond  his  prefent  concept 
tion<5.  He  mufl  necellarily  fhare  in  all  this  good,  when 
it  takes  place  ;  becaufc,  by  the  fuppohtion,  this  is  his 
chofcn  good.  And  while  he  leeks  this  as  the  grand  ob- 
jccl:  of  his  dehrc  and  happinefs,  and  is  at  the  lame  time 
allured  that  it  fliall  be  accoinplifliied,  he  has  a  great  de- 
gree of  enjoyment.  He  in  a  meafure  enjoys  the  good 
he  feeks,  in  the  allured  profpect  that  it  will  take  place. 
Thus  univerfal,  dilinterelLed  benevolence,  which  fecks 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  general  good,  is  the  only  af- 
fedion  which  can  intereft  us  in  that  good  which  will  take 
place  to  the  higheft  degree,  and  give  us  our  full  fliare  in 
It :  whereas  the  contrary  alfedion,  felflove  necclTarily  ex- 
cludes from  all  true  happinefs,  becaufe  the  felliili  perfon 
places  not  his  happinefs  in  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
public  good,  the  happinels  and  glory  of  his  kingdom  ;. 
but  in  his  ov/n  exaltation  and  private,  perfon al  good. 
He  is,  of  courfe,  an  enemy  to  the  only  true  good  and 
happinefs,  and  lb  far  as  that  takes  place  he  is  neccllarily 
excluded  and  unhappy. 

He  therefore  who,  in  this  fenfe,  denies  hwifelf^  gives  up 
all  that  fcparatc,  perfonal,  private  interell  which  felf  love 
feeks,  and,  in  this  fenfe,  lofes  his  own  life,  fliall  find  or 
fave  his  life  ;  that  is,  fliall  be  truly  and  eternally  happy, 
in  the  exercife  of  difmterefted  affeftion  to  God  and  the 
tn embers  of  his  kingdom,  which  necellarily  puts  him  in 
poileiTion  of  the  public  good  and  happinefs,  and  gives 
him  his  Iharc  In  this  focial  felicity,  as  one  of  the  mem- 
U  U  bcrs 


$3^  riiE  ijecr£es  Of  uob,  Ser.vi.  XlXi 

bers  of  tlie  focicty.  But  he  who  favcs  his  life,  that  is, 
who,  having  no  public,  diUntereilcd  affection ,  fceks  him- 
lelf  only,  and  is  purfuing  and  leeking  to  iavc  to  himfeU" 
a  fcparace,  private  intei'eil,  ior  the  lake  of  which  he  is 
ready  to  facriiice  and  oppofe  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
general  good — be  Ihall  loic  his  life  ;  that  is,  Ihall  lofe  or 
mik  of  all  liappinefs,  and  mull;  neceil'arily  be  miferable. 

Thus  we  fee  in  what  refpecls,  and  for  what  reafons,  it 
is  our  indifpenfable  duty,  and  of  the  higheft  importance 
to  us,  to  make  the  glory  of  God  our  fupreine  end  in  all 
we  do  ;  and,  by  what  has  been  obferved,  we  may  learn 
what  is  implied  in  this.  It  is  to  fet  this  above  every 
thing  clfe ;  to  aim  at  and  purfiie  nothing  but  this,  and 
wdia't  is  implied  in  it ;  to  fubordinate  every  thing  with 
which  v/e  are  concerned  to  the  glory  of  God ;  to  give 
lip  and  devole  ourfelves,  with  all  v/e  have  and  are,  to 
anfwer  this  end,  v/tthout  making  any  referve,  freely 
renouncing  all  luppofable  or  poilible  intereil  or  good, 
for  ourfelves  or  others,  which  is  inconfiftent  with  the 
glory  of  God,  or  which  will  not  conduce  to  it  and 
promote  it. 

III.  They  who  delire  to  know  their  own  charafter, 
and  the  nature  of  their  religious  excrcifes,  whether  they 
bear  the  flamp  of  true  piety,  may  examine  and  try  them- 
selves by  what  has  been  exhibited  on  this  fubjecl :  whe- 
ther the  God  which  is  revealed  in  the  Bible,  unchangei* 
able  in  his  being,  perfections,  deiigns,  decrees  and  works, 
is  the  chofen  and  delightful  object  of  their  religious  af- 
fections ;  of  their  love,  fear,  hope  and  truit ;  of  their 
gratitude  and  joy  \  of  their  adoration  and  praife,  to 
whom  they  make  confeflion,  and  pray  with  pcrfcvcrance 
and  pleafare  ;  and  whether  they  are  confcious  that  a 
God,  who  has  not  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to 
pafs,  could  not  be  the  object  of  thefe  their  pious  affec- 
tions. 

As  to  thofe  v>  ho  dlHike  and  oppofe  this  doctrine,  and 
fay,  they  cannot  love  and  worlliip  fuch  a  God  ;  and  yet 
think  themfelvcs  truly  pious,  and  in  the  way  to  heaven, 
and  that  they  are  ferving  and  honouring  God  in  their 

oppolition 


SSRM.    XIX,  THE    FOUNDATION    OF    PIETY.  33 1 

oppofitlon  to  this  dodrine  ;  we  will  leave  them  to  the 
day  which  lliall  try  every  man's  work,  of  what  Ibrt  it 
is  ;  at  the  fame  tirae  being  certain  that  if  their  hearts  and 
all  the  exercifes  of  them  do  oppofe  and  rejev^  the  God 
who  has  foreordained  whatfoever  comes  to  pals,  and 
tjiey  hve  and  die  with  fuch  hearts,  they  will  be  found  to 
be  ijorkers  of  iniquity,  and  ranked  v/ith  them  who  "know 
not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gofpei  of  our  kord  jcfus 
Chrill," 

IV.  Let  all  who  believe  this  doclrine  be  concerned 
to  live  anfvverable  to  it,  and  conflantly  fear  before  this 
God,  and  live  in  the  exercife  and  practice  of  every  branch 
of  true  godlincfs  ;  and  not,  as  many  do^  hold  the  truth 
in  iinrightconfnefs',  and  pervert  it  to  bad  piirpofes. 

The  Chriftian  has  learned  to  unite  a  conviclion  and 
fenfe  of  entire  dependence  on  God,  who  orders  and 
works  all  things  .according  to  his  unchangeable  decree, 
for  every  motion  and  right  exercife  of  heart,  with  zeal 
and  activity  in  religion,  working  out  his  own.  falvation 
ivith  fear  and  trembling,  with  felf-difHdence,  and.  a  fenfe 
of  his  own  infufficiency  for  any  good  thing,  and  a  hum- 
ble dependence  on  God  for  grace  to  do  his  duty ;  bc- 
caufe  he  knows  that  God  worketh  in  him  both  to  will 
and  to  do, -of  his  own  good  pleafure  :  \_Phil.  ii.  12,  13,] 
And  the  ftfonger  and  more  ileady  conviction  he  has  that 
God  overrules  and  orders  all  things  for  his  own  glory 
and  the.greateft  good  of  the  whole,  even  all  the  iin  and 
rebellion  of  men,  the  more  nnreafonable  and  criminal 
does  fin  appear  to  him,  as  it  is  in  its  nature  and  tenden- 
cy direct  oppoiltion  to  this  event.  And  therefore  the 
more  does  he  loathe,  abhor  and  condemn  himfelf  for  his 
fins,  and  acknowledge  his  defert  of  eternal  dcftrudion  : 
knowing  that  God.*s  foreordaining  whatfoever  comes  to 
pafs,  leaves  the  fmner  as  free  a  moral  agent,  and  as  inex- 
cufabic  and  criminal,  as  if  there  were  no  decree  in  the 
cafe. 

Blefl'ed  are  they  who  underftand  thefc  tilings,  and 
know  the  only  true  God,  who  is  wonderful  in  counfel, 
and  excellent  in  working ;  and  Jefus  Chriil,  whom  he 
has  fent,  who  exercifeth  loving  kindncfs,  judgment  and 
righteoufnefs  in  the  earth.  S"^PMO^^ 


Sermon  xx, 

WRITTEN     IN    THE    YEAR     iSqO. 


The  fins  of  men  arc  fo  under  the  direclion  and  con- 
troul  of  God,  as  to  glorify  him,  and  fubferve  the 
good  of  his  kingdom,  in  every  inftance  of  it  which 
he  fuffers  to  take  place. 

Pfalm  Ixxvi.    lo.     Surely  the  wrath  of  man  Jljall  pmife 
thee  :  the  retna'mder  of  wrath  Jhalt  the  a  rejhain. 

N  this  pfalm  God's  care  and  protection  of  his  church 
is  celebrated.  In  the  midft  of  ail  revolutions,  wars, 
2.nd  confufions,  which  take  place  in  the  world,  and  tlie 
various  and  itrong  combinations  of  wicked  men  againft 
his  people,  they  are  fafe  and  happy  under  his  care,  who 
will  effeclually  reftrain  all  their  enemies,  and  fmally  ut^ 
terly  defeat  ard  dcftroy  them,  and  givq  deliverance, 
peace  and  falvation  to  his  church. 

In  the  words  now  to  be  confidered,  the  absolute  and 
"univerfal  dominion  of  God  over  all  creatures  and  things, 
is  afi'erted,  fo  that  he  can  and  will  turn  all  the  oppofition 
which  is  made  to  him  and  his  government,  however 
ftrong  and  violent,  and  however  long  it  may  continue,^ 
to  promote  his  own  glory,  and  anlwer  the  bell  ends 
pofliblc  ;  and  all  the  lins  which  would  not  fubferve 
thefe  good  ends,  he  can  and  will  effectually  reftrain,  fa 
that  they  fhall  not  exift. 

This  very  important  and  ufeful  fcntiment  will  be  illuf- 
trated  and  cftablilhed  by  a  particular  explanation  of  this 
pafl'age  of  fcripture,  and  the  inferences  to  be  made 
from  it, 

"  SuREL'v  the  wrath  of  man  fliall  praife  thee,"  This 
is  affcrtcd  not  only  as  a  truth,  but  as  a  moft  evident, 
;ind  certain  truth,  and  of  great  importance  to  be  behev- 

cd 


Sf.RM.    XX.  COD    IS    GLORIFIED,  &C.  33^ 

ed  and  relied  upon  with  the  grcateft  confidence  and 
aiVurance  at  all  times,   whatever  feeming  appearances 
there  may  be  againft  it,  and  though  we  may  not  be  able 
to  fee  how  it  can  pofllbly  be  true.     This  is  exprelied  by 
the  word  furdy,  ^^'ith  which  the  fentimcnt  is  introduced. 
The  wrath  of  man  comprehends  all  the  rebellion  and 
fms   of  men,    that    ever  have  or  ever  \\\\\  take  place, 
by  which  their  hatred  of  God  and  his  law  and  govern- 
ment,  and   ftrong   oppofition   to   thefe,    is    exprefled. 
Mankind,  ever  fince  they  have  multiplied  on  earth,  have, 
in  general,  been  in  arms,  at   war  v/ith  God,  and  with 
eacli  other ;  and  this  v/ar   has  in   numerous   inftanccs 
been  carried  on  with  great  apparent  cngagcdnefs,  \Cratu 
and  furv,  in  fome  more  diredly  againft  God,  and  in 
others  immediately  againft  each  other.     All  this  is  com- 
prehended in  the  wrath  of  man,  in  our  text :  and  fo  arc 
<\11  the   thoughts  and  exercifes   of  heart  a^id  conduct, 
however  private,  and  more  or  lefs  apparent  and  ftrong, 
which  are  contrary  to  the  law  of  God  ;  for  all  thefe 
are  of  the  fame  nature  and  kind  with  thofe  finful  actions 
in  which  men  are  more  apparently,  and  with  greater 
wrath  and  violence,  combined  againft  God  and  each 
other.     And  all  the  fms  of  good  men,  whether  commit- 
ted before  they  were  converted  or  after,  are  included  in 
this  exprefiion,  as  they  are  as   really  in  oppofition  to 
God  and  his  law,  as  the  moft  open  and  avowed  rebel- 
lion   and  racfe  a2:ainft  him,  thoui^h  not  {b  ftronp;  and 
vifible.     Thus,  all  the  fms  of  which  men  are   guilty, 
whether  greater  or  lefs,  more  fecret  or  open,  under 
whatever  form  or  pretence  they  are  committed,  are  in- 
cluded in  the  wrath  of  man^  as  they  are  all  rebellion 
againft  God,  ar^d  a  violation  of  his  law,   and  oppofition 
to  his  caufe,  church  and  kingdom ;  though  the  more 
open  and  violent  oppofition  to  the  divine  government, 
to  the  church  and  people  of  God,  and  to  each  other, 
may  be  more  particularly  intended  by  the  exprefiion. 
'ilris  is  evident  and  certain,  not  only  as  all  the  lins  of 
men  are  of  the  fame  nature  and  evil  tendency,  but  they 
are  all  fo  V3:ited  and  combined,  that  if  any  inftance  and 

degree 


534  ^OD    13    GLORIFIED  SeRM.  XX, 

degree  of  fin  is  made  to  praife  God,  it  muft  do  fo  in 
every  inftance  for  the  fame  rcafon  ;  and  if  it  were  not 
lb,  the  allertion  in  the  words  before  us  would  be  fo  par- 
tial as  to  be  attended  with  great  uncertainty,  and  of  lit- 
tle' ufe  and  importance  in  the  application  of  it,  as  will 
appear  in  our  further  attention  to  the  fubjecl. 

"  The  wrath  of  man  fiall  praife  thee  ;"  that  is,  Ihall 
honour  and  glorify  thee.  The  fm  of  man  fliail,  in 
every  inftance  of  it,  be  the  occafion  and  made  the 
means  of  the  manifellation  and  difplay  of  the  glorious 
charader  and  perfeclions  of  God,  which  could  not 
have  been  made  to  fuch  advantage  and  in  fo  great  a 
degree,  in  any  other  way,  had  not  fm  exiiled  in  every 
inilance  in  which  it  has  done,  or  ever  will  do.  This  is 
not  owing  to  the  nature  and  tendency  of  fm,  confdcr- 
cd  in  itfelf ;  for  it  tends  to  directly  the  contrary,  to 
difhonour  him,  and  is  a  direct  and  awful  oppofition  to 
the  moral  governm>ent,  perfeclions  and  exiftence  of 
God ;  but  to  his  power,  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  by 
which  he  is  able  and  difpofed  to  overrule  all  the  re-. 
beliion  againft  him,  even  every  fm  which  is  committed, 
to  anfwer  his  ends,  and  promote  his  own  glory. 

"  The  remainder  of  wrath  fiialt  thou  reilrain  :"  that 
is,  that  wrath  and  thofe  lins  of  men  which  are  not  fuit- 
ed  and  necelfary  to  anfwer  this  end,  to  be  fo  governed 
and  overruled  as  to  praife  and  glorify  God,  he  will 
effeclually  reftrain,  and  not  fulTcr  it  to  exiil.  This  re- 
prefents  God  as  the  fupreme,  fovereign  difpofcr  of  all 
things  and  events,  ordering  what  fliail  and,  what  fliall 
not  exlft,  from  the  gr^ateft  to  the  leaft,  arnd  directing 
the  will  and  actions  of  m.en  in  every  motion  and  exer- 
tion, fo  that  all  depend  upon  his  wiii  whether  they 
fhall  have  an  exiftence  or  not ;  and  thisu  includes  all,  tljc 
fins  of  men,  as  really  as  any  other  event  whatever. 
The  counfel  of  God's  own  will  cietermlncd  whether 
there  fhou'ld  be  any  fuch  thing  as  fm  and  rebellion,  and 
how  much  of  this  fhould  cxill:,  even  juft  fo  much  as 
fhould  praife  him,  and  no  more  ;  whkh  neceflarily  in- 
cludes a  determination  coacerning  every  inftance  or  act 

of 


SeRM.  XX.  t\    THE    SINS    Of    MEN.  335 

of  fiR,  whether  greater  or  lefs  ;  as  his  determining  that 
tliis  e;irth  inould  exift  includes  a  determination  how 
large  It  iliould  be,  of  what  materials  it  Ihould  be  com.- 
poied,  and  concerning  every  part,  and  every  grain  of 
f^iid,  kc,  of  which  it  fliould  coniift.  Ail  this  is  nccef- 
farii/  implied  in  the  words  under  confideration.  For 
in  determining  that  fm  ftiould  exift,  and  juft  fo  much  as 
v/ould  praife  him,  and  no  m^ore,  there  mufl  be  a  deter- 
mination concerning  every  act  of  fin  that  Ihould  take 
place. 

'I'he  exiRence  of  the  wrath  of  man,  the  continuance 
of  it,  the  height  to  wiiich  it  Ihould  rife,  and  all  the  con- 
fequcnces  of  it,  depended  as  *much  upon  the  will  of 
God,  as  did  the  exiftence  of  man,  and  of  a  particular 
providence  to  be  exerciicd  with  refpecl  to  him  from 
the  firft  to  the  laft,  containing  the  wifeft  and  beft  plan, 
by  v/hich  God  is  moft  praifed  and  glorified,  and  the 
greateil  good  promoted.  Thefe  are  fo  united  and 
blended  together,  the  one  implying  the  other,  that  all 
m.uft  exift  together,  in  order  to  form  a  perfectly  wife 
plan,  which  fliall  be  moft  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  th'S 
greateft  good  of  the  univerfe.  For  Vv'hen  it  is  faid,  the 
wrath  of  man  fliall  praife  God,  it  is  equally  allerted, 
tliat  all  the  lin  which  does  or  ever  fliall  take  place  fhall 
promote  the  greateft  glory  and  happinefs  of  his  king- 
dom, and  of  all  his  friends,  who  fhall  dwell  in  it  for- 
ever ;  for  their  glory  and  happinefs  depend  upon  the 
glory  of  God,  the  manlfcftation  and  difplay  of  his 
glorious  perfections,  and  will  keep  pace  with  this  for- 
ever, the  form.er  necefiarily  taking  place  and  riling  in 
proportion  to  the  grcatnefs  and  increafe  of  the  latter, 
there  being  a  neceifary  and  infallible  connection  be- 
tween them  ;  fo  that  whatever  praifes  God,  and  ferves 
to  manifeft  and  difplay  his  character  and  glory,  equally 
promotes  the  happinefs  of  ail  who  are  his  friends,  and 
the  glory  of  his  everlafting  kingdom. 

Of  ail  this  there  is  the  greateft  ailurance  and  certain- 
ty, exprelTed  by  the  Pfalmift  in  our  text  ;  but  we  have 
other    itrong,   corroborative    evidence    of  thefe    fame 

truths, 


truths,  botli  from  the  icripturcs  and  from  rcafon,  which 
dcnijuds  our  careful  attention* 

The  icripturcs  will  appear,  beyond  a  pofiible  doubt, 
to  an  attentive,  honeli  mind,  to  be  on  the  fame  plan, 
and  to  exhibit  thefe  fame  truths,  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end.  This  is  manifeft  in  fo  many  ways  and  in- 
ftancc3  that  they  cannot  be  all  mentioned  here*  It 
will  be  fuiricien.t  to  fuggefl;  the  following  :  "  The  fcrip^ 
ture  faith  unto  Pharaoli,  Even  for  this  fame  purpofe 
have  I  raifcd  thee  up,  that  I  might  fliew  my  power  ill 
thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  throughout 
all  the  earth.'*  The  wrath  of  Pharaoh  was  ordered  and 
brought  about  by  God  in  his  providence  on  purpofe 
that  he  might  be  praifed  and  glorified  ;  that  his  name, 
liis  charafter  and  perfections  might  hereby  be  declared 
thouLrhout  all  the  earth.  "  What  if  God,  willino:  to 
llicw  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known,  endureci 
\vith  m.uch  lon2r  fuffering:  the  vcflcis  of  Wrath  fitted  to 
deftructlon  ?  Here  the  fm  and  deftruc1:ion  of  thofe  who 
pcrifh  is  reprcfented  as  ordered  by  God  for  his  praife, 
to  manifeft  his  hatred  of  fm,  and  his  dreadful  power  in 
punidiing  linners  who  are  finally  impenitent. 

The  iimumcrable  predictions  in  the  fcripture  of  events 
to  be  brought  about,  and  which  have  been  fulfilled  by 
millions  of  millions  of  finful  exercifes  and  actions  of 
wicked  men,  anil  predictions  of  many  particular  lins 
which  men  ihould  commit,  are  an  inconteftible  evidence 
that  God  has  the  direction  of  all  the  fins  of  men,  and 
that  none  can  take  place  unlefs  by  his  dilpofal,  fo  as  to 
anfwer  his  ends,  and  promote  his  glory,  l\vo  or  three 
inftances  may  be  mentioned  to  iliuftrate  this  remark. 

The  fin  of  the  brethren  of  Jofeph  in  felling  him  into 
Egypt,  and  all  tlicir  anger  and  wrath  which  led  to  this, 
was  determined  and  orttcred  by  God  for  good,  for  his 
own  praife  and  glor) ,  and  the  good  of  his  church. 
Therefore,  God  is  faid  to  have  done  it,  and  to  fend 
Jofeph  into  Egypt,  meaning  it  all  for  good<  And  in 
this  way  the  wrath  of  Jofeph's  miftrefs  in  Egypt,  and 
of  her  hufband,   did  praife  God,  and  could  not  have 

taken 


SeR.M.  XX.  EY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN, 


337- 


taken  place,  had  it  not  been  necefTary  to  accomplifli  the 
benevolent  purpofe  of  God  ;  and  they  and  the  brethren 
of  jofenh  were  reftrained  from  ali  that  wrath  and  lin, 
which  would  defeat  the  predidion  by  the  two  dreams 
of  Jofeph,  and  not  anfwer  the  purpofe  of  God,  and 
praife  him.  The  former  were  reilrained  from  puttmg 
jofeph  to  death,  as  they  once  propofcd.  And  though 
Potiphar's  "  wrath  was  kindled,"  when  he  heard  the 
falfe  accufation  againft  Jofeph  by  his  wicked  wife,  yet 
liis  wrath  was  fo  reftrained  that  he  did  not  take  away 
his  life,  which  had  either  of  them  done,  the  divine  plan* 
couid  not  have  been  executed. 

But  the  moil  rem.arkable  inftance  of  this  is  the  Hii 
and  v/rath  exercifed  by  men  in  the  treatment  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world,  and  putting  him  to  death  in  the 
mod  cruel  mianner.  This  was  ail  particularly  determdn- 
cd  and  appointed  long  before  by  God,  and  foretold  by 
the  prophets.  Hear  what  they  who  were  infpired  fay 
of  this  in  their  folemn  addrefs  to  God  :  "  Lord,  thou  art 
God,  who  had  made  heaven  and  earth  and  the  fea,  and 
all  tint  is  in  them  ;  who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  f^rvant 
David  haft  faid.  Why  did  the  heathen  rage,  and  the 
people  imagine  vain  things  ?  The  kings  of  the  earth* 
ftood  up,  and  the  rulers  were  gathered  together,, 
a,q:ainft  the  Lord  and  ajrainil  his  Chrift.  For  of  a  truth- 
againft  thy  holy  child  Jefus,  whom  thou  haft  anointed, 
both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and- 
the  people  of  Ifrael,  were  gathered  together,  to  da 
whatfoevcr  thy  hand  and  thy  couniel  determined  before 
to  be  done.'* 

All  this  fcene  of  ftn  and  v/rath  ao-ainft  Tefus  Chrift 
Vv'as  determined  and  directed  by  the  hand  and  counsel, 
the  power  and  wifdom,  of  God,  which  was  nerejlary 
for  the  greateft  difplay  of  the  divine  perfeclions  in  the 
redemption  of  ftnful  man,  which  has  ever  been  made, 
and  could  not  have  been  made  in  any  other  way,  and 
will  be  to  his  praife  and  glory  forever,  and  the  means 
of  the  unfpeakably  greater  happincfs  and  glory  of  ali  his 
friends,  the  members  of  his  eternal  kingdom. 

X  x  And 


3^S  GOD    IS    GLORlflED  SeRiM.    XX, 


j:) 


.  And  all  this  iin  was  ordered,  to  praife  and  glorify 
God,  that  he  might  hereby  accompliih  his  wife  and  in- 
finitely importar.t  dciigns.  Thefe  linners  were  reftrain- 
ed,  and  prevented  committing  all  thofe  fmful  acts 
which  would  not  praile  God,  but,  contrary  to  this, 
would  counteract  his  wife  purpofes.  Thus  Herod  was 
not  able  to  put  Chrill  to  death  in  his  infancy,  when  he 
attempted  to  do  it.  And  the  Jews  were  not  allowed  to 
lay  their  hands  upon  him  and  kill  him,  though  they 
delired  and  often  attempted  to  do  it,  as  this  would 
not  have  been  to  the  praife  of  God,  but  the  contrary. 
They  were  reftrained  from  effecling  their  purpofe,  till 
the  proper  time  came,  when  this  horrid  deed  would 
praife  God,  and  was  neceflary  to  his  accompliiliing  the 
infinitely  wife  and  important  ends  he  had  in  view. 

And  indeed  there  is  the  greateft  certainty  that  the 
iins  of  men,  in  general,  and  the  univerfal  depravity,  re- 
bellion and  guilt  of  mankind,  were  neccffary  in  order 
to  there  being  fach  a  character  as  that  of  Jefus  Chrift 
the  Redeemer,  and  the  wonderful,  g"lorio'us  events 
which  do  and  will  take  place  in  confequence  of  what 
he  has  done  and  faiTcred.  For  had  there  been  no  fin, 
by  which  the  human  race  are  fallen  into  a  ftate  of  total 
ruin,  there  could  not  have  been  any  Redeemer  or  re-* 
demption,  by  which  God  will  be  more  praifed  and 
glorified  than  by  all  his  other  works.  And  indeed  all 
his  other  works  have  reference  to,  and  centre  in,  the 
glorious  work  of  Redemption,  and  derive  their  chief 
glory  from  this,  of  which  the  fin  of  man  laid  the  foun- 
dation, which  therefore  is  necclTary  for  the  greateft  and 
rnoft  bright  difplay  of  the  perfections  of  -God,  and  the 
conlequent  praifes  from  all  his  friends,  and  their  happi- 
ncfs  in  the  enjoyment  of  him  forever. 

And  as  fi.n  in  genciiil,  and  the  mcft  remarkable  in- 
ftances  of  it  recorded  iii  fcripture,  forne  of  which  have 
been  mentioned,  are  made  to  nraife  God,  there  is  hence 
ground  of  aHai'ance  that  it  does  fo  in  every  inftance,  and 
that  this  is  true  of  every  fin  that  ever  has  been  or  will 
fee  committed  by  man,  and  that  not  one  fin  which  would 

not 


Sf.RM.    XX.  BY   THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  339, 

not  praife  God  will  ever  take  place,  had  not  this  been  ex- 
prefsly  aflcrted  in  our  text.  And  it  is  important  to  be 
obferved,  that  all  the  natural  evil  which  is  the  confe- 
quence  of  fm,  which  does  or  ever  will  exift,  will  anfwer 
this  end,  and  is  neceflary  for  the  brighteil  manifeftation 
and  difplay  of  the  divine  perfe(5lions,  and  confequcntly 
for  the  great  eft  happinefs  of  all  the  friends  of  God. 
This  is  implied  in  the  words  of  the  apoftle  Paul,  v/hen 
he  fays,  "  We  are  unto  God  a  fweet  iavour  of  Chrift, 
in  them  that  are  faved,  and  in  them  that  periih."  Ac- 
cording to  this,  the  gofpel  produces  that  which  is  plcaf- 
ing  to  God  in  the  ettecl  it  has,  not  only  in  them  who 
are  faved,  but  alfo  that  which  it  has  on  thofe  who  pe- 
rifli.  It  is  the  occafion  of  difcovering  the  total  depravi- 
ty, and  exceeding  hardnefs,  and  ftrength  of  the  obkina- 
cy,  of  the  human  heart,  in  the  uuiverfal,  ilrong  and 
fixed  difpofition  to  rejeft  the  offers  of  mercy,  Vv'hich  no 
means  will  overcome  and  fubdue;  which  difcovery  could 
not  be  made  fo  fully  in  any  other  conceivable  way.  The 
clear  and  ftriking  manifeftation  of  this  will  ferve  to  dif- 
play the  righteoufnefs  and  holy  difpleafure  of  God  in 
punifhing  ftnners  with  everlafting  deilru<5lion,  and  in- 
flifting  a  greatly  aggravated  puniihment  on  thofe  who 
perilli  under  the  gofpel,  as  negied:ers  and  deiJ3ifcrs  of 
Chrift  and  the  crreat  falvation. 

The  fame  fentiment  is  exprcfied  by  this  Apoftle  m  the 
following  words  :  "  What  if  God  willing  [determinirig] 
to  Ihew  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known,  endur- 
ed v/ith  much  iong-fuffering  the  veifels  of  wrath,  fitted 
to  deftruclion ;  and  that  he  might  make  known  the 
riches  of  his  glory  on  the  veilels  of  mercy,  which  he  had 
afore  prepared  unto  glory  ?'*  Here  God  is  reprefented, 
not  only  as  defigning  to  ihew  his  power,  and  his  dif- 
plcafure  with  linners  by  fitting  them  for  deftruclion  ; 
but  alfo  by  this  to  make  known  the  riches  of  hi-s  grace, 
in  the  falvation  of  the  redeemed. 

TliuG  it  appears  that  there  is  the  moft  clear  and  cer- 
tain evidence  from  the  holy  fcripture,  that  ail  the  lins  of 
paen  th^it  have  or  ever  will  take  placQ,  with  all  their  cir- 

cumitances, 


.14^  GOD    IS    GLORIFJEB  SeRM.  XX. 

cumilancea,  attendants  and  conlequences,  fhall  praiic 
God,  ihaii  ferve  to  manifeit  and  diipjay  his  perfections, 
as  otherwife  could  not  have  been  done,  and  fliall  be  the 
cccafion  of  all  that  good,  that  glory  and  happincfs  of 
Ids  eternal  kingdom,  which  is  implied  in  this  ;  that  it  is 
the  will  of  God  that  all  this  fm  Ihonld  cxift  juil  as  it 
docs  And  will  do,  to  anfwer  this  end,  and  no^more  ;  there- 
fore all  that  hn  which  would  not  praife  him,  iie  wills 
iliali  not  exift,  aud  effectually  rcftrains. 

And  all  this  appears  moft  reafonable,  and  may  be  ar« 
^;ued  from  the  being  and  perfections  of  God  revealed  in 
the  fcripr.ures,  in  fo  liiort  and  plain  a  way  as  to  amount 
to  a  clear  dem.onfcration,  to  the  reafon  of  every  honefi:, 
unprejudiced  pcrfon  v/ho  will  carefully  attejid  to  the 
fubjc'ft. 

God  is  omnipotent,  and  can  do  what  he  pleafes.  He 
is  omnifcient  ;  his  knowicdc^c  extends  to  every  thing. 
He  is  infinitely  wife  and  good.  He  fees  what  is  the 
grcatell:  good  on- the  Vvhole,  vvdiat  is  the  wifeft  and  beft 
end,  and  what  are  the  moft  wi«i?.  and  befl  way  and  means 
to  accomplilh  it,  and  is  difpofed,  yea,  has  an  infinite  pro- 
penfity,  to  do  it.  It  is  thercf^ore  certain  that  all  things 
and  events  abfolutely  depei\ded  on  his  will  from  eterni- 
ty, for  their  exiftence,  and  the  manner  of  it ;  therefore 
the  plan  of  all  future  cxiflcnce,  of  all  creatures  and 
events,  and  the  particiilar  manner  and  circumftances  in 
which  they  lliould  exift,  was  in  the  Divine  Mind  from 
eternity.  And  as  it  muft  be  the  wifeft  and  beft  poffible 
plan,  containing  all  the  poilihle  good  that  Infinite  Wif- 
dom  and  Goodnefs  could  qevife  and  deiire,  and  Omni- 
potence execute,  it  cannot  be  altered  in  the  inoft  jrnnute 
particular  or  circurnftancc,  to  eternity.  And  if  this- 
v/crc  polHble,  it  would  be  infinitely  undeflrablc  and  ca- 
lamitous, yea,  an  infinite  evil.  It  is  matter  of  the 
greateft  ioy  that  *^  the  work  of  God  is  perfect,"  being 
decreed  ir/  lum  from  eternity;  that  "  Vvhatfoever  God 
doth,  it  fcall  be  forever  ;  notliing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor 
any  tiling  taken  from  it ;''  that  "  the  counfei  of  ilis 
Lord  fiandcth  forever,  and  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  to 

'  .  all 


S-F.RTvI.    XX.  EY    THE    SIN?    O?    MEN.  04^ 

all  generations  ;"  that  "  he  h  of  c?7c  mind,  ?.vA  none  czn 
turn  or  difapnoint  him,"  who  ''-workcth  aJl  things  after 
the  counfel  of  his  o\vn  wife,  unchangeable  will." 

This  leads  directly  to  the  point  before  us.  It  muil 
be  determined  by  God  whether  there  Ihould  be  any 
iln  and  rebellion  under  his  government,  and  among 
mankind.  This  depended  wholly  on  the  will  of  God. 
He  was  able  to  forbid  and  prevent  the  exigence  of  it ; 
and  it  it  was  contrary  to  wifdom,  pcife<ft  reftitude  and 
goodnefs,  that  is,  if  he  faw  it  was  not  wifefl  and  beft, 
p.nd  neceffary  to  effecf  the  greateft  good,  en  the  whole,' 
that  fm  iliould  exift,  he  could  and  certainly  v/ould  pre- 
vent the  exiftence  of  it.  There  is  therefore  the  great- 
eft  poflibie  certainty,  from  the  divine  perfections,  that 
fm  does  exift  iull  in  the  manner  and  in  that  dep-ree,  and 
in  every  inftance  of  it,  with  all  the  attendants  and  con- 
I'eqiicTices  of  it  which  do  or  will  take  place,  agreeable  to 
the  diclates  and  will  of  Infmite  V/ifdom  and  Goodnefs, 
as  being  neceffary  to  accomplidi  the  moil  wife  and  beft 
end,  the  greateil  poflibie  good  of  the  univerfc  ;  and  the 
iin  and  mifery  which  are  not  neceffary  to  promote  this 
end  Ciall  never  exift,  as  it  is  contrary  to  iniinite  wifdom 
and  goodnefs  that  it  flionld.  We  may  be  as  {uvq  of 
this,  as  we  arc  or  can  be  of  the  being  and  perfedions 
of  God,  or  of  any  truth  whatever,  or  even  of  our  own 
exiftence.  And  to  difbeiieve  and  deny,  or  even  to 
doubt  of  it,  tends  to  atheifm,  and  is  really  a  degree  of  it. 

To  fuppofe  that  God  has  not  power  and  llviii  enough 
to  prevent  the  exiftence  of  fin,  and  was  not  able  to 
witlihold  man  from  finning,  confiftent  with  the  perfecT. 
moral  freedom  of  man,  if  he  had  chofen  to  do  it,  is  to 
fuppofe  he  is  really  unable  to  govern  the  world  agree^^,- 
blc  to  his  wilt,  and  therefore  is  not  to  be  trufted  in  a 
matter  of  infinite  importance,  and  tbat  he  cannot  be 
perfecl'ly  happy,  but  infinitely  to  the  contrary,  wiiils 
he  cannot  prevent  iin  and  mifery  taking  place  in  a 
moft  awful,  undeflrable  and  even  infinite  degree,  inoft 
contrary  to  what  he  would  dcftre  and  v/illi,  u'crc  he 
tible  to  ^prevent  it !     And  if  God  \vere  not  able  thus 

to 


54*  OOi)   is    GLORIFIED  SeRM.  XX; 

to  prevent  tlie  exiftence  of  any  of  the  fins  which 
have  been  committed  by  man  fmce  his  creation,  then 
he  cannot  be  fuppofed  to  be  able  to  prevent  the  exift- 
ence of  any  fuppofed  degree  of  fin  in  future  in  any  mo- 
ral agent  ;  confequcntly  therefore  there  can  be  no 
ground  of  aflurancc,  or  the  leafl  evidence,  either  from 
God,  or  from  m.oral  agents,  or  from  any  other  quarter, 
that  fm  will  not  take  place  in  every  moral  agent,  eveii 
in  all  thole  who  are  now  perfectly  holy,  and  thofe  v/ho 
are  holy  in  fome  degree,  in  the  greateft  flrength  and  to 
the  utmofl  degree  ot  which  they  are  capable,  and  that  as 
long  as  they  fliall  exifl !  On  this  fuppofiticn,  how  could 
God  know  what  would  take  place  among  his  creatures  ? 
And  how  can  he  declare  and  promife  that  fin  ihali  be 
forever  excluded  from  the  holy  angels  and  the  redeem- 
ed from  among  men  ?  What  fliall  we  do  with  the  de- 
clarations and  promifes  of  this  kind  abundantly  made 
in  the  Bible  ?  Can  there  be  any  reliance  upon  them  ? 
And  what  reafon  has  any  one  to  trufl  in  God  to  prelerve 
him  from  fin,  and  form  him  to  holinefs,  or  to  alk  him 
to  do  this  ?  Dreadful  and  horrible  and  prefumptuous 
fuppofition  !  moft  unrcaibnable,  and  big  with  confe- 
quences  moft  terrible  and  deflructive  !  It  leads  to  the 
exclufion  of  divine  revelation,  and  cuts  off  all  truft  and 
confidence  in  God  in  all  matters  of  the  greateft  impor- 
tance, and  excludes  all  belief  of  a  particular  and  univerikl 
divine  providence,  and  naturally  leads  to,  and  lands 
men  in,  the  horrible  darknefs  of  infidelity  and  atheifm  ! 
But  if  God  be  able  to  prevent  the  exiftence  of  fm, 
and  it  was  wifefl  and  befl,  on  the  whole,  that  there 
fhould  be  no  fin,  then  wifdom  and  goodnefs  mufl  op- 
pofe  the  exiftence  of  it  ;  fo  that  to  fuppofe  that  it  is  not 
beft  on  the  v/hole  that  fin  fhould  take  place  juft  as  it 
does,  is  to  fuppofe  that  God  is  neither  wife  nor  good  : 
for  infinite  v/ifdom  and  goodnefs,  clothed  wita,  omnipo- 
tence, always  prefer  and  effect  that  which  is  mott  wife 
and  beft,  moft  for  the  glory  of  God  -and  the  greateft 
good  of  his  eternal  kingdom  ;  and  v/ill  certainly  and 
effectually  prevent  the  exiftence  of  every  thiqg  which 

cannot 


SeRM.   XX.  BY    THE    Sms    OF    MEN.  343 

cannot  be  made  to  promote  this  end.  To  deny  or 
even  to  entertain  the  leaft  doubt  of  this,  and  that  ail 
the  fin  with  its  attendants  and  confequences,  which 
does  or  ever  will  exift,  is  neceilary  to  efted  the  greateit 
good  of  the  univerfe,  the  brighteft  difplay  of  the  divine 
perfections,  and  the  higheft  glory  and  happincls  of  his 
kingdom,  is  equally  to  deny  or  doubt  of  the  infinite 
wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God,  and  to  reprefent  him  un- 
worthy of  the  implicit  truft  and  confidence  of  his  crea- 
tures, and  fo  to  leave  them  without  any  God,  or  one 
who  is  rather  to  be  dreaded,  than  loved  and  adored. 
How  diihonourable  to  God  this  is,  being  as  gloomy 
and  fliocking  as  atheifm  itfelf,  every  truly  pious  perfon 
cannot  but  difcern  and  feel  ! 

The  holy  fcriptures,  and  our  reafon  from  the  per- 
fections of  God,  therefore  join  in  declaring  this  truth, 
and  oblige  us  to  believe  and  fay,  "  Surely  the  wrath  of 
man  fhali  praife  God,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he 
fliall  reftrain,"  in  the  fenfe  in  which  thefe  words  have 
been  explained  and  vindicated,  viz.  that  all  the  evil 
which  has  taken  place,  or  ever  will  exift,  both  moral 
and  natural,  fin  and  mifery,  does  take  place,  in  every 
the  leaft  and  greateft  inftance  of  it,  under  the  fuperin- 
tendency  and  direction  of  the  infinitely  wife  and  bene- 
volent will  of  God,  as  neccffary  to  promote  the  greateft: 
pofilble  good  of  the  univerfe,  his  own  glory,  and  the 
higheft  happinefs  of  his  moral,  eternal  kingdom.  And 
he  will  rcftrain  and  prevent  the  exiftence  of  all  that 
which  is  not  neceffary  to  anfwer  this  end.  •  rp, . 

*  This  truth  has  been  and  ftill  is  greatly  oppofed,  and  many  ob- 
jectionG  are  made  to  it.  It  has  been  often  and  by  many  afierted, 
t!iat  if  fm  anfwers  fo  good  an  end,  then  fm  is  a  good  thing,  and  the 
more  there  is  of  it  the  better;  that  this  is  the  greateft  encouragement 
to  fm  ;  and  there  is  really  no  crime  in  fin,  if  fo  much  good  comes 
by  it,  and  therefore  fmners  cannot  be  juftly  blamed  and  punifKed  for 
it.  And  it  has  been  often  faid  by  thofe  who  think  and  profefs  them- 
felves  to  be  wife,  that  this  dnftrine  is  inconfiftent  with  human  liberty, 
and  really  makes  God  the  author  of  all  the  fm  that  takes  place.  But 
the  truth  is  great,  arid  muft  and  will  prevail  ;  and  the  folly  of  all 
thefe  objeflors,  who  underftand  neither  what  they  fay,  nor  whereof 
they  affirm,  Ihall  be  manifeft  unto  all  men.  j 


344  '^^    ^'^    GL0RIFI£»  SSRM.    XX/ 

This  u  equally  true  of  all  the  fm  and  rebellion  of  the 
fallen  angels,  with  all  the  attendants  and  confequences  of 
this.  Their  fins  are  many  ways  connected  with  the 
lins  of  men*  They  were  the  wicked  inftruments  of  in- 
troducing iin  among  mankind,  and  are  reprefented  ill 
the  fcriptures,  as  having  a  great  hand  in  all  the  fms 
whiclr  are  committed  by  men,  and  decelvinc;  and  tenmt- 
ing  the  whole  world  of  mankind*  They  are  allowed  to 
come  down  to  the  earth  in  great  wrath  againft  God 
and  ipan,  and  to  go  forth  to  the  whole  world,  to  excite 
them  to  unite  in  horrible  "war  a^rainil  God*  But  they 
are  in  the  hand  of  God,  and  under  his  reflraints  j  and 
v/lien  they  have  done  all  the  work  he  dehgns  they  fliall 
do,  he  will  call  them  into  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  Ihut 
them  up,  and  fet  -a  feal  upon  them,  that  they  iliould  de- 
ceive'tlie  nations  no  more,  till  the  proper  time  ftiall 
com.e  to  let  them  loole  again.  Thus  the  wrath  of  de- 
vils fhall  praife  God,  and  the  remainder  of  their  wrath 
he  iliali  reftrain. 

Improvement. 

This  fubje'ft . affords  matter  of  furHeient  fupport,  of 
great  comiort  and  joy,  to  the  true  friends  of  God, 
in  the  midil  of  all  the  evil,  both  fm  and  mifery,  which 
may  take  place.  The  Lord  reigneth,  clothed  with 
omnipotence,  infinitely  v/ife  and  good,  jufl  and  true. 
He  is  above  all  controul.  He  hath  done,  and  will  do, 
whatever  he  pleafetli,  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth.  He 
is  inhnitely  above  all  pollibility  of  any  difappointment, 
or  of  being  oppofed  fo  as  not  to  accomplifli  all  his  de- 
figns  in  the  beft  and  moil  perfect  manner.  Ail  the  re- 
bellion, Iin  and  fuffering  of  creatures,  that  do  or  ever 

will 


It  is  needleis  to  ^ittempt  to  anfv/er  tiny  of  thefe  objections  here,  as 
this  has  been  publicly  done  over  anu  over  again.  If  any  have  a  de- 
fiie  to  fee  them  anivvcred,  they  laa;  find  it  done,  in  Prefident  Ed- 
wards's Treatife  on  Freedom  of  \Viil,  Dr.  Well's  Effay  on  Moral 
Agency,  Dr.  Edwards's  Diikrtation  concerning  Liberty  and  Ne- 
ceflity,  the  author's  Syftern  of  Dodrines  contained  ir.  Divine  Re- 
VGlatioUj  and  his  Sermons  ou  lloni.  iii.  ^,6,  7,  8* 


SfiRM.    XX.  BY    THE    SINS    OF    MKN.  345 

will,  take  phce,  are  fo  far  from  fruftrating  his  defigns, 
that  they  are  intended  and  ordered  to  take  place  juft  as 
they  do,  as  neceilary  to  make  the  greateil  poihble  inani- 
feitation  of  his  perfections^  and  promote  the  greatefl: 
good  of  his  kingdom.  There  is  not  the  leaft  fin  in 
thought,  word  or  deed,  nor  the  leaft  inilance  of  pain, 
nor  can  any  evil  exift,  greater  or  lefs,  which  is  not  de- 
ligned  to  anfwer  fome  good  end,  fo  that  it  is  beft  that 
it  {hould  exift  juft  as  it  does.  Then  let  the  friends  of 
God  rejoice  in  him  who  made  them  and  all  things  elfe, 
and  orders  every  event,  great  and  fmaii,  for  the  beft. 
Let  the  children  of  Zion  rejoice  in  their  King :  yea,  let 
them  always  rejoice. 

The  Lord  Jcfus  Chrift,  our  God,  who  was  once  ma- 
nifefted  in  flefti,  is  received  up  into  glory,  has  fat  down 
on  the  throne  of  the  univerfe,  poflelfed  of  all  power  in 
heaven  and  earth,  and  having  all  things,  angeb,  men 
and  devils,  in  his  hand,  reigns  over  ail,  and  v/iil  reign, 
till  he  has,  in  the  beft  time  and  manner,  completely  ac- 
compliilied  his  hifmitely  wife  and  good  clefigns  ;  de- 
ft royed  the  works  of  the  devil,  by  wholly  defeating, 
confounding  and  difappointing  him  and  all  who  join 
with  him,  in  all  their  attempts  againft  him,  and  op- 
polition  to  him,  and  turning  all  they  have  done  or  will 
do,  and  all  that  does  or  will  take  place  refpecling  them, 
to  anfwer  his  own  ends,  to  the'  greater  glory  of  God, 
and  to  make  his  work  in  the  redemption  of  unners 
more  perfed  and  glorious.  He  having  by  his  fiifterings 
and  obedience  made  an  atonement  for  fin,  and  obtained 
righteoufnefs  for  the  jnftilicatioh  of  finners,  is  thus  ex- 
alted to  give  repentance  and  forgivenefs  of  fms,  and 
everlafting  life  to  all  who  i:-elieve  on  his  name,  and  come 
unto  him  ;  being  able  to  fave  to  the  uttermoft  all  them 
who  com.e  unto  God  by  him.  And  as  none  of  the  hu-p 
man  race  will  come  to  him,  though  all  who  hear  the 
gofpel  are  invited,  unlefs  they  be  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  made  willing  by  his  power  and  grace,  he  iti 
this  exercifeth  his  fovereignty,  and  has  mercy  on  \yhom 
he  will  have  mercv,  and  whom  he  will  he  h^rdeneth^ 
Yy  And 


3"46  i  SOD    IS    GLORIFIED  SsRt*!.  "X^. 

And  his  v/ill  is  infinitely  wife,  right  and  good.  It  i^ 
not  heft  that  all  mankind  lliould  be  faved,  moil  tor  the 
o-lory  of  God,  and  the  cjreateft  g^ood  of  the  whole  ;  but, 
that  the  delip;n  of  Chrift  in  dying  to  redeem  fmners 
iTjay  in  the  bell  manner  and  highell  degree  be  anfwered, 
fome  muil  be  given  up  to  the  deflruclion  which  they 
deferve  ;  and  who  is  better  able  to  determine  this,  and 
how  many  and  what  individuals  fhall  be  faved,  than 
He  who  is  infinite  in  wifdom,  reclitude  and  goodnefs, 
who  cannot  make  any  miilake,  or  do  the  leall  wrong 
to  any  creature  ?  Yea,  who  can  do  it  but  He  ?  Every 
one  v/ho  has  a  fpark  of  true  wifdom  and  goodnefs  will 
earneltly  deiire  that  He  m.ay  fix  this  m.atter  with  refpe<^ 
to  every  individual ;  and  rejoice  that  it  is,  and  will  be, 
done  by  Him.  And  who  has  a  better,  or  any  7-ight  to 
do  this,  than  He  who  has  made  and  is  the  abfolute  and 
only  proprietor  of  all  creatures  ?  '*  Hath  not  the  potter 
power  over  the  clay  of  the  fame  lump,  to  make  one  vef- 
iel  unto  honour  and  another  unto  dilhonour  ?'* 

To  every  benevolent  friend  of  Chriil  the  Saviour,  it 
is  moft  defirabie  and  pleafincr  that  he  fhould  have  all 
things  in  Iiis  hand,  and  fave  as  m.any  and  whom  he  will, 
and  leave  v^hom  he  will  to  deftruclion.  He  has  a  pecu* 
liar  right  to  this,  fince  he  has  been  at  fuch  infinite  ex- 
penfe  to  redeem  iinners,  that  he  Ihould  accom.plilh  the 
end  of  his  fuffcrings  and  death  in  the  beft  manner,  and 
fee  of  the  travail  of  his  foul  and  be  i'atisfied,  to  have 
every  thing  effeftcd  with  regard  to  the  redemption  of 
man  fo  as  in  the  higheft  degree  to  pleafe  his  v.dfdom  and 
goodnefs.  To  this  end  he  has  every  creature  and  thing 
in  the  univerfe  put  into  his  hands,  and  he  direfts  every 
motion  and  event  among  creatures  to  anfwer  the  pur* 
pole  for  which  he  died,  which  he  will  accomplifh  in  the 
beft  manner,  perfcrMv  agreeable  to  infinite  wifdom  and 
goodnefs.  He  will  i.ive  all  of  the  human  race  who  can 
be  faved  ccnfiileni  \\  ith  wildom  and  infinite  goodnefs. 
^md  to  all  v\'ho  trull  in  him  he  is  an  almighty  friend 
and  prote'T:or,  and  v/ill  fccure  them  from  all  evil,  and 
caufe  ail  thli)L;s  to  work  toffetlicr  for  their  c;ood,  and 

wiU 


S  ERM.    XX.  BY   THE    S.IN3   OP   M£N.  347 

will  make  tlicm  perfedly  holy,  and  carry  them  through 
death  to  heaven  in  the  bcft  manner  and  time,  and  they 
Ihall  inherit  all  things  forever. 

In  fum,  all  things  and  every  event  are  conftantly  un- 
der the  direaion  iind  controui  of  infinite  wifdom,  re(51:i- 
tude  and  goodneis,  and  are  conduvfted  and  going  on  in 
the  bell  manner,  as  hH  as  can  be,  to  the  molt  agreeable 
and  happy  ilTue  poflible,  tlie  greateil,  mod  bright  and 
happifying  exhibition  of  the  divine  characcerj  and  the 
higheft  glory  and  felicity  of  the  everlafting  kingdom  of 
God,  from  which  no  creature  v/ill  be  excluded,  but 
thofe  whofe  prefence  there  is  inconfiftent  with  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  greateft  good  of  his  kingdom,  and 
therefore  contrary  to  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  and  who  do 
at  the  fame  time  exclude  themfelves.  Every  thing,  cir- 
cumftance  and  event  is  right ;  and  all  conipire  to  pro- 
mote the  greateil  good,  and,  all  things  conhdered,  it  is 
on  the  whole  beft  that  they  {liould  be  juft  what  they 
are,  and  take  place  exactly  as  they  do.  No,  alteration 
cir\  pofTibly  be  made,  without  injuring  and  fpoiling  the 
divine  plan,  formed  by  infmite  underilanding,  wiidom 
and  goodnefs.  All  this  is  to  be  feen  with  the  greateil 
certainty  in  the  infmitely  important  and  excellent  cha- 
racter, works,  and  revealed  deiigns,  of  the  glorious  Sa- 
viour of  the  world. 

Surely  no  intelligent  and  truly  benevolent  perfon  can 
believe  and  realize  all  this  without  feeling  a  peculiar 
pleafure  and  joy,  which  will  more  than  fupport  him 
under,  and  counterbalance,  all  the  evil  which  he  may- 
feel,  or  that  is  in  his  view.  He  can,  with  peculiar  fatif- 
fadion  and  joy,  fay,  "  Surely  the  wrath  of  man  iliall 
praife  thee,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  thou  Ihalt  re- 
ftrain.  The  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  reigns,  let  the  earth  re- 
joice. Rejoice  always  in  the  Lord,  and  again  1  fay,  re- 
joice evermore  j  for  lie  brings  the  greaieft  good  out 
of  all  evil,  and  this  {hall  certainly  be  the  happy  ilTue  of 
all.  Hi:  is  the  rock,  his  work  is  perfccT:  •  for  all  h^s 
ways  are  judgment  ;  a  God  of  truth,  and  without 
iniquit  y,  juft  and  right  is  He.'*  -.vf 

lierc 


34^  «0t)    IS    GLORIFIED  SeRM.    XX, 

Her©  It  may  be  ufeful  to  attend  to  and  anfwer  fevcral 
queftions  which  may  arife  in  the  minds  of  fome. 

Question.  How  can  we  have  any  joy  or  comfort  in 
any  or  ail  of  this,  while  wc  do  not  know,  and  have  lit- 
tle or  no  evidence  or  hope,  that  we  are  interefted  in  all 
this  good,  but  fear  that  Chrift  does  not  intend  to  fave 
us,  and  that  we  fiiall  perifh  forever  ?  If  we  knew  wc 
were  Chriftians,  and  real  friends  to  Chrift,  and  Ihould 
be  laved,  this  would  give  us  comfort  and  joy  ;  but  as 
we  know  not  that  this  is  true,  and  do  often  much 
doubt  of  it,  what  is  all  the  good,  which  has  been  re- 
prefented  as  the  ilTue  of  all  evil,  to  us,  M-^hiie  we  know 
not  that  we  fhall  have  any  part  in  it ;  but  may  be  caft 
off,  and  miferabie  forever  ? 

Answer.  If  you  are  wholly  felfifh,  and  have  no  defirc 
that  God  may  be  glorified-,,  and  the  greateft  good  of  his 
kingdom  promoted,  and  can  take  no  pleafure  in  the 
profpe^t  and  aflurance  of  this,  unlefs  you  are  certain 
your  own  perfonal  happinefs  will  be  fecured  and  pro- 
moted hereby,  then  this  difcovers  and  decides  your  ftate 
and  character,  that  you  are  not  a  real  friend  to  Ghrift 
and  his  chnrch,  and  no  true  Chriftian.     All  your  hope 

and  thoughts  of  this  arc  a  mere  delufion,  and  oufii;ht  to 

...  . 

be  immediately  difmuTed.     You  muft  be  born  again  of 

the  Holy  Spirit,  and  become  new  creatures,  before  you 
can  be  Chriftians.  But  if  you  have  any  true  bene- 
volence, and  are  friends  to  Chrift  and  his  caufe  and  in- 
terefr,  and  the  greateft  happinefs  of  his  church  and 
kingdom,  you  cannot  but  have  comfort,  pleafure  and 
joy  in  the  view  and  aifurance  that  all  things  and  every 
event,  however  evil  and  of  a  bad  tendency  in  itfelf,  will 
be  overruled  by  him  for  his  honour  and  the  greateft 
good  of  his  kingdom  ;  that  his  intereft  is  fecure,  and  will 
be  promoted  by  every -thing  that  takes  place,  without 
confidering  your  own  perfonal  intereft,  whether  this  is 
fecure  or  not.  And  indeed  you  cannot  know  or  have 
any  ground  to  think  or  hope  that  you  have  an  intereft 
in  Chrift,  and  fliall  be  faved,  until  \  ou  have  this  bene- 
volent aftedion  towards  Chrift  and  his  people,  and  are 

confcious 


SeRM.    XX.  BY    THE    SINS    OF   MT.N.  '7^49 

confcious  that  it  does  take  place  in  your  heart!;  in  fome 
degree,  or  thofe  exercifes  which  imply  this,  or  are  im- 
pHed  in  it.  But  when  thefe  exercifes  and  bcnevoicnt 
affections  take  place  in  your  hearts,  and  arilc  to  fucli 
llrength  and  conftancy,  that,  when  you  relied  upon 
your  own  views  and  feelings,  you  are  confcious  that 
you  have  them,  that  you  are  pleafed  and  have  enjoy- 
ment and  comfort  in  the  thought  and  affurancc  that 
Chrift  will  get  honour  by  all  the  (ins  of  men,  and  op- 
pofition  made  to  him  by  men  and  devils,  and  the  con- 
sequent ruin  of  thofe  who  periih,  and  that  all  will  iffuc 
in  the  greatefl  poiiible  good,  on  the  whole,  you  will 
have  reafon  to  hope  and  conclude  that  you  are  friends 
to  Chrift,  and  Qiall  partake  in  all  the  happinefs  and  glo- 
ry of  his  eternal  kingdom,  and  may,  in  this  way  arrive 
to  a  de<2:ree  of  affurance  of  it.  And  this  is  the  only 
proper  and  fafe  way  of  obtaining  a  true  and  well 
grounded  hope  and  confidence  that  you  are  real  Chrif- 
tians,  and  ihali  be  faved.  And  as  this  hope  incrcafes  and 
continues,  your  com.fort  and  joy  will  be  increafed.  But 
your  comfort  and  joy  does  not  fo  depend  upon  or  coniiil 
in  this,  that,  if  this  confidence  and  hope  fliould  give 
way  to  doubt  and  fear,  all  your  comfort  and  joy  would 
ceafe ;  you  could  and  would  even  then  rejoice  in  the 
character,  glory  and  happinefs  of  the  Saviour,  and  that 
all  things  were  conduced  by  him  fo  as  to  anf\\'er  the 
beft  end  ;  that  he  would  fave  all  that  can  be  faved  con- 
liftent  with  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  with  his  glory  and 
the  great  eft  good  of  his  church,  whether  you  are  in- 
cluded in  that  number  or  not :  and  if  you  find  you  can 
and  do  rejoice  in  this  view,  it  is  a  good,  perhaps  the 
beft  evidence,  that  you  belong  to  that  number. 

There  are  too  many  profelRng  Chriftians  whofe  reli- 
gious comfort  and  joy  appear  to  confift  wholly  in  a 
hope  or  confidence  that  they  fliall  be  faved  ;  their  com- 
fort rifes  in  proportion  to  the  degree  and  ftrength  of 
their  hope,  and  when  that  finks  and  fails,  and  is  even 
given  up,  their  comfort  is  all  gone,  and  all  is  darkneuj 
and  gloom  :  fo  that  all  light  and  com.fort  with  them  in 

their 


35^9  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED  SeRM.    XX. 

their  religion  confifts  in  thinking,  or  a  hope,  that  their 
own  perfonai  intereft  h  fecure,  and  all  their  religious 
darknels  and  trouble  arife  from  doubts  of  this.  Their 
comfort  lirft  began  in  a  hope  and  belief  that  they  fliould 
be  faved,  and  ftill  depends  wholly  upon  this.  This  does 
not  look  like  the  experience  of  true  Chriftians,  but  to  be 
a  wholly  feliifh  religion,  as  different  from  real  Chriftian 
exercifes,  as  darknefs  is  from  light. 

Question  II.  But  mull  Chriftians  pay  no  regard  to 
their  own  intereft  ?  May  they  not  feel  and  dread  per- 
fonal  pain  and  mifery  ?  And  may  not  their  own  fms 
and  fufferings  occaiion  grief  and  forrow  ?  And  ought 
they  not  to  feel  for  the  fins  and  calamities  of  others,  and 
the  fmful,  wretched  ftate  of  mankind  in  general,  and 
mourn  and  lament,  in  the  view  of  thefe  evils  ?  Muft 
they  always  be  all  joy  and  gladnefs,  and  feel  no  mental 
pain  and  iorrow  ? 

^Answer.  A  Chriftian  ought  to  regard  his  perfonal 
intereft  according  to  its  comparative  greatnefs  and  real 
worth  ;  but  muft  have  no  intereft  of  his  own,  diftind: 
and  feparate  from  the  general  intereft,  or  the  higheft 
and  beft  intereft  of  the  whole  univerfe.  This  is  the  in- 
tereft to  be  regarded  and  fought  fupremely,  and  the  in- 
tereft of  every  individual  of  this  whole,  accordincr  to 
the  importance  and  worth  of  it  ;  and  as  this  muft  be 
fmall  and  inconfiderable  in  comparifon  with  the  grand 
intereft  of  the  whole,  it  muft  be.difregarded  and  given 
up,  if  it  be  inconfiftent  with  the  greateft  good  of  the 
whole.  And  he  muft  and  will  have  an  averlion  from 
and  dread  of  perfonal  pain  and  fuffering,  as  it  is  in  itfelf 
an  evil ;  but  this  is  confiftent  with  rejoicing  at  the  fame 
time  in  the  happinefs  of  others,  and  in  the  greateft  gq- 
neral  good,  and  he  will  have  a  peculiar  fatisfaftion  and 
joy  when  he  believes  and  realizes  that  his  pain  and  fuf- 
fering  will  promote  the  good  of  the  whole,  which  is  in 
all  inftances  true  by  the  fuperintending  care  of  the  Re- 
deemer. Thus  the  apoftles,  when  they  were  beaten  and 
put  to  lliame  by  the  council  of  the  Jev/s,  "  departed 

froQ\ 


SeRM.    XX.  BY    THE    SiN*S    OF    M£N.  2S^ 

from  the  prcfence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they 
were  counted  worthy  to  fuffer  fliame  for  his  name.'* 

And  Chriftians  ought,  and  cannot  but  be  affeftcd  with 
the  fin  and  mifery  of  mankind  fo  far  as  it  comes  under 
their  view,  and  to  be  pained  and  grieved,  when  they 
attend  more  particularly  to  it ;  for  it  is  in  itfelf  a  great, 
and  to  us  incomprehenfible  evil,  and  might  well  fill  a 
benevolent  man  with  infuppor  table  pain  and  for  row, 
and  fink  him  ir.to  the  mod  diilrefiing  glocm  and  over- 
whelming grief,  were  he  not  certain  that  all  this  is  un- 
der the  direction  and  particular  care  and  regulation  of 
uncontroulable  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  and  has  taken  place 
becaufe  it  is  necelfary  for  the  greateft  good,  on  the 
whole,  and  no  more  ftiall  exift  than  ihall  anfwer  this 
end,  the  glory  of  God  and  the  greateft  poliible  happincfs 
of  his  kingdom  ;  fo  that  it  is  on  the  whole  beft  there 
Should  be  juft  fo  much  evil  in  the  univerfe  as  there  is 
and  ever  will  be.  But  when  he  attends  to  this  his  for- 
row  is  in  a  great  meafure  turned  into  joy.  And  could 
he  have  as  clear  and  comprehenfive  a  view  of  the  good 
that  will  be  the  iflue  of  all. the  evil  that  takes  place, 
as  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  have,  all  his  forrow 
would  entirely  ceaie,  and  nothing  would  interrupt  or 
abate  his  pleafure  and  holy  joy.  But  in  this  imperfect 
ftate,  where  fo  much  evil  is  felt,  and  prefent  before  our 
eyes,  and  the  good  which  will  be  the  confcquence  of  all 
this,  though  believed  to  be  certain,  is  not  fo  prefent  and 
in  fo  full  and  clear  view  as  the  evil,  the  latter,  efpecially 
at  tin^ies,  will  occafion  pain  and  forrow.  The  good  man^ 
in  this  very  imperfect  fi:ate  efpecially,  cannot  be  equally- 
attentive  to  every  objeft  at  the  fame  time,  and  when 
liis  attention  is  particularly  turned  to  the  evils  that  take 
place,  and  his  mind  is  impreffed  with  them,  he  \vi\\  have 
pam  and  forrow,  though  he  does  not  doubt  that  all 
things  are  ordered  for  the  beft,  and  that  all  the  evil  v/iii 
idue  in  the  greateft  good,  while  the  latter  is  more  out  of 
fight,  or  lefs  the  object  of  his  attention,  and  confequent- 
ly  makes  a  lefs  imprelTion  on  his  mind.  At  other  tinies 
his  attention  is  fi^ed  on  Chrifl,  his  char:.der,  woiks 

and 


T(C3' 


GOl)    15    GLOR.iFIED  tJERM.    XX. 


and  tleligns,  and  the  good  he  will  bring  out  of  all  evil, 
iiis  faith  ia  iaor-g,  and  realizes  invifible  thinp,s,  that  all 
things  are  going  on  well,  and  could  not  be  better,  as 
they  arc  guided  by  infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs.  His 
pain  and  forrow  are  turned  into  comfort,  joy  and  praife. 

Thus  the  Chrillian  has  his  joys  and  forrovvs  in  this 
iniperfecl:,  fuifui  flate :  but  the  latter  never  takes  place 
to  that  degree  as  wholly  to  exclude  the  former  ;  but  in 
the  iiiidli;  of  forrow  he  has  joy,  and,  in  a  fenfe  and  de- 
{;,ree,  rejoices  akvays.  So  the  apollle  Paul  "  had  great 
iieavineis  and  continual  forrow  in  his  heart,'*  in  a  view 
of  the  lin  and  niifery  of  his  nation  ;  yet  in  the  midfl 
of  his  forrow  he  had  matter  of  joy.  Therefore  he  re- 
prcfeuts  himfelf,  "forrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing.'* 
And  he  ccinniands  Chriftians  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord- 
always,  and  repeats  the  injunftion :  "  And  again  I  fay, 
rejoice.  Rejoice  e-venmre.^^  And  our  glorious  Saviour, 
when  in  a  ftate  of  humiliation  on  earth,  did  in  his 
human  nature  rejoice  in  fpirit,  in  the  divine  will,  and 
fovereign,  wife  difpofal  of  all  things  and  events,  refpcd-, 
ing  the  children  of  men:  \jAihe  x.  21,  22.]  Yet  he 
wept  over  Jerufalem,  when  his  mind  was  imprefied 
with  the  fm  and  ruin  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  city. 
And  though  he  rejoiced  and  was  glad  that  Lazarus  was 
dead,  as  it  was  necefl'ary  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
good  of  his  difciples,  yet  when  he  faw  Mary  and  her 
friends  who  were  with  her  vvceping,  he  groaned  in 
fpirit,  was  troubled,  and  wept. 

Question  III.  We  believe  a  Chriftlan  may  have 
fuch  comfort  and  joy  as  has  been  defcribed  ;  but  as 
ibme  are  doubtlefs  deceived,  and  make  great  preten- 
tions to  this  joy,  who  have  only  a  falfe  and  ipurious 
kind  of  joy,  v/e  fliould  be  glad  to  know  how,  and  by 
v/hat,  the  former  may  be  diftinguiflied  from  the  latter  ? 

AisSwiiR.  This  may  be  in  fome  mcafure  illuftrated 
and  decided  by  tlie  following  particulars : 

I.  The  Chriftian's  joy  is  pure,  calm  and  ferene,  and 
Is  better  felt  than  cxpreficd  ;  therefore  does  not  make 
him  talkative,  and  forward  to  tell  of  }?is  joy,  unlets 
-    .  when 


k 


SeRM.  XX.  BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  353 

when  It  appears  neceffary  for  the  inftrudion  and  benefit 
of  others  ;  and  then  he  is  difpofed  rather  to  fpeak  of 
the  matter  and  reafon  there  is  of  comfort  and  joy,  than 
to  dwell  on  his  own  comfort  and  enjoyment.  He  is 
humble,  and  has  a  low  and  mean  opinion  of  himfelf,  in 
proportion  to  the  degree  of  his  comfort  and  joy. 

2.  This  joy  does  not  tend  to  exclude  or  abate  a 
fenfe  of  the  evil  of  fin,  and  the  ill-defert  of  it,  and  of 
the  mifery  which  takes  place  in  confequcnce  of  it :  but, 
on  the  contrary,  the  Chriftian  has  a  clear  view  of  his 
own  linfulnefs,  the  hatefulnefs  of  it,  and  of  his  dcfert  of 
evil,  when  he  rcjoiceth  in  the  Lord  :  his  joy  does  not 
abate  his  fenfe  of  this,  but  rather  increafes  it.  Nor  is 
lie  infenllble  of  the  evil  of  fin  in  general,  and  of  the 
mifery  that  comes  and  will  come  on  men  for  their  fms, 
wliile  he  rejoices  that  the  wrath,  even  all  the  fms  and 
mifery,  of  man,  fhall  praife  God. 

Therefore  they  whofe  religious  joy  arifes  frorx:  a  be- 
lief that  th'ere  is  no  great  evil  in  iin,  and  that  God  can- 
not juftly,  or  if  he  could,  will  not,  punifli  it  with  cver- 
lafling  deftruction,    have  only  a   groundlefs    and  falfc 

3.  This  joy  is  fo  far  from  making  perfons  carelefs, 
flothful  and  inactive  in  religion,  that  it  is  attended  v/ith 
directly  the  contrary.  They  hate  Iin,  and  endeavour 
to  avoid  it,  and  feek  deliverance  from  it,  and  ftrive  to 
prevent  and  flipprefs  it  in  others  as  far  as  they  have 
opportunity  and  ability.  They  are  fervent  in  fpirit, 
ferving  the  Lord.  When  they  rejoice  that  he  is  praifed, 
th:y  feek  to  honor  and  praife  him  in  all  poilibie  vv^ays. 
Thefe  cannot  be  feparated,  as  it  would  imply  an  exprefs 
contradiclion.  They  not  only  praife  God,  but  pray  to 
him.  Their  comfort  and  joy  is  not  inconfiftent  with 
engagednefs  and  plealure  in  prayer  ;  for  the  latter  is 
implied  in  the  former.  They  pray  for  deliverance  from 
all  that  which  appears  to  them  to  be  evil,  and  for  all 
things  which  they  judge  delirable  for  themi'elves  and 
others,  and  which  appear  moft  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  advanccmctit  of  his  intereil  znd  kingdom 
among  men. 

Z     7,  But, 


354 


tOD    IS    GLORIFIED  SeRM,  XX. 


But,  in  all  their  delires  and  prayers,  they  are  refigned 
to  the  will  of  God.  They  fubordinate  all  to  that,  and 
lay.  If  it  bs  confijient  with  thy  ivill — defiring  that  his  will 
may  be  done,  which  they  know  is  beft,  moft  wife  and 
good,  however  contrary  it  may  be  to  their  partial  views 
and  particular  delires.  And  in  this  relignation  to  the 
divine  will,  and  acquiefccnce  in  it,  there  is  implied  an 
carneft  defire  and  prayer.  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  may 
be  a  ftrcng  and  earneft  petition,  and  always  is  fo,  when 
it  is  attended  with  a  proper  fenfe  of  the  defirablenefs 
and  importance  that  it  fhould  be  done  in  all  inilances, 
as  implying  the  grcatcft  poffible  good,  and  with  a  dif- 
pofition  to  rejoice  in  it. 

It  is  therefore  certain  that  they  are  ftrangers  to  the 
joy  of  true  Chriilians,  who,  under  a  pretence  of  believ- 
ing that  all  things  and  events  are  fixed  by  the  will  of 
God,  and  take  place  in  the  beft  manner,  and  that  what- 
ever is  is  right  and  beft,  aTe  wholly  carelefs  and  eafy 
with  regard  to  their  own  ftate  and  conduct,  and  what- 
ever fms  and  evils  take  place  ;  have  no  delires  to  crofs 
any  of  their  inclinations,  and  to  be  virtuous  and  holy, 
living  in  the  negled  of  fervent  devotion^  prayer  and 
praife. 

On  the  whole. 

This  lubjecl  is  fuitcd  to  excite  Chriftians  to  attend  to 
and  improve  the  truth  contained  in  the  text  which  has 
bcen-explained,  fo  as  conftantly  to  enjoy  .the  fupport  and 
comfort  which  they  need,  and  which  is  offered  to  them, 
in  the  prefent  dark  and  feemingly  evil  ftate  of  things 
in  this  world.  "Were  it  not  (ov  this  truth,  there  would 
be  no  fupport  for  Chriftians,  but  their  minds  would  be 
involved  in  the  moft  painful  gloorn,  in  the  view  of 
their  own  ftnful  ftate,  and  the  iin  and  mifery  which 
abound  in  the  worl!,  diredly  tending  to  the  difhonour 
of  God,  and  the  rum  of  all  that  is  dcftrable  ;  attended 
with  diforder  and  confufion,  of  v/hich  no  bounds  or 
end  can  be  realized  or  known,  or  fo  much  as  con- 
jectured. The  good  man  would  have  no  place  on 
which  he  could  fet  his  foot,  to  prevent  his  fmking  and 
being  overwhelmed  in  darknefs  and  defpair. 

But 


SbRM.    XX.  BY    THE    S1N6    OF    MEN.  355 

But  when  the  Chriftian  attends  to  this  truih,  and 
feels  the  certainty  of  it,  his  feet  ftand  on  a  folid  foun- 
dation, on  a  rock  which  cannot  be  moved  :  he  feels 
calm,  and  has  divine  fupport  and  comfort,  in  the  midil 
of  the  ftorms  and  raging  waves  which  tofs  themfelves 
as  if  they  would  overvvhehn  the  world.  He  looks 
above  all  thefe  threatening  appearances,  and  beholds  a 
ferene  Iky,  and  knows  the  florm  will  foon  be  over, 
and  the  dafliing  waves  will  ceafe,  and  the  fun  will 
Ihine  more  bright  and  pleafant  than  if  there  had  been 
no  ftorm.  The  Chriftian,  whofc  mind  is  firmly  efta- 
blillied  in  this  everlafling  truth,  and  is  fure  that  all 
tilings  will  iii'ue  well,  and  that  it  is  beil  they  fliould 
take  place  jufl  as  they  do,  that  good  will  be  the  iffue  of 
all  the  evil,  though  he  cannot  but  be  affected  with  the 
evils,  moral  and  natural,  with  which  he  is  furrounded, 
and  that  more  or  lefs  at  different  times,  yet  will  have 
fufficient  fupport,  and  be  filled  with  comfort  and  joy, 
cfpecially  at  times,  knowing  that  the  Lord  reigns,  that 
the  wrath  of  man  fiiall  praife  him,  and  the  remainder 
of  wrath  he  will  rellrain. 

It  therefore  becomes  Chriftians,  as  their  duty  and 
intereft,  to  attend  to  this  truth,  taken  in  the  whole  ex- 
tent of  it,  to  keep  it  in  their  minds,  and  maintain  a 
conftant  affurance  of  it,  whatever  appearances  there 
may  be  to  the  contrary.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  many 
Chriftians  are  greatly  deficient  in  this.  They  dwell 
too  much,  if  not  wholly,  on  the  dark  Tide  of  things,  on 
the  evils  which  are  in  their  view,  and  fuffer  much 
gloom,  dejection  and  pain  of  mind,  for  which  there  is 
no  good  reafon,  and  which  they  might  efcape,  if  they 
looked  more  at  the  bright  fcde,  prefented  in  the  truth 
which  has  been  confidered,  and  kept  it  always  in  view ; 
and  their  tears  of  forrow  would  be  in  a  meaflire  dried 
up,  and  fucceededby  tears  of  joy.  It  is  obfervable  that 
Chriftians,  when  they  meet  with  great  diiappointments 
and  calamities,  either  perfonal  or  public,  in  which  the 
intereft  of  the  church  and  religion  is  concerned,  are 
obliged  to  make  ufc  of  this  truth  for  their  fupport  and 

comfort— 


35^  'THE  author's  pas.e\7ell         5er.m.  XXL 

comfort — "  The  Lord  reigns,  and  orders  every  thing 
right  and  well,"  kc.  And  if  Chritiians  would  keep  this 
in  conftant  view,  and  fee  and  realize  the  hand  of  God 
in  every  event,  they  would  have  confiant  fupport  and 
conifort,  and  live  more  to  the  glory  of  God.  And  this 
tends  to  deilroy  all  contracted,  felhfh  views  and  feel- 
ings, and  to  eijiarge  their  minds,  while  they  attend  to 
the  divine  character,  government  and  kingdom,  and 
the  power,  wifdorn  and  goadnefs  by  which  all  things 
in  the  nniverfe  are  directed  and  governed.  And  the 
more  they  realize  and^are  pleated  with  this,  the  more 
they  refcmble  the  inhabiiants  of  heaven,  and  are  pre- 
pared to  be  meinbers  of  that  happy  fbciety,  and  join 
with  them  in  rejoicing  and  praifmg  the  only  wife  God 
their  Saviour  forever  and  ever.     Amen. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

THE  Author  hopes  the  candid  reader  will  not  be  difpleafed 
with  his  /peaking  Jo  much  in  the  jirji  per/on  f,ngular  in  the 
folloiving  difcourfe.  Such  egotifm  iri  gejieral  is  difagreeable 
to  him  ;  and  he  has  therefore  avoided  it  in  his  other  dif-. 
courfcsj  as  the  reader  will  perceive.  But  the  following  be- 
ing of  a  peculiar  kind,  feemed  to  render  it  necejfary  ;  and 
it  is  hoped  will  ?iot  be  thought  felfijh^  affuming  or  improper* 


:|t0n    XXL 


The  Author's  Farewell  to  the  World. 

Pfalm  Ixxvi.   i  o.     Surely  the  wrath  of  man  fiall  praife 
thee :  the  remainder  of  wrath  fhalt  thou  rejirain* 

TLIESE  words  have  been  explained  in  the  preced- 
ing difcourfe,  and  it    appears  that  they  contain 
the  foliov.'ing  important  truth  : 

That 


SeRM.    XXI.  -TO    TKE    WORLD.  357 

That  God,  in  his  infinite  wifdcm  and  goodnefs,  h?.s 
determined  that  tliere  Ihould  be  juft  ih  much  evil,  botli 
moral  and  natural,  as  has  been,  now  is,  and  ever  will 
be,  and  no  more.;-  as  it  is  mod:  fuitable  and  neceffary  to 
make  the  brightcft  difplay  of  his  perfections,  and  effect 
the  greateft  good,  glory  and  happinels  of  his  eternal 
kingdom  ;  therefore  it  is  mofl  wife  and  btft  tliat  all 
this  evil  fliould  exift  :  and  every  inilance  of  it,  greater 
or  lefs,  God  will  overrule  to  anfwer  this  end,  in  tlie 
liigheil  polTible  degree. 

it  has  been  fliewn  that  this  truth,  being  believed  and 
properly  improved,  is  a  fufficient  and  the  only  founda- 
tion for  the  fupport,  comfort  and  joy  of  the  benevo- 
lent friends  of  God,  in  ail  the  darknefs,  confufion,  fm 
and  mifery  with  w^hich  they  are  furrcunded. 

And  now,  {landing  on  this  fure,  firm  foundation, 
this  immoveable,  everlafling  rock,  I  look  round,  and, 
as  far  as  I  am  able,  view  the  world  of  mankind,  and 
take  my  leave  of  them,  expecting  foon  to  put  oif  this 
my  tabernacle. 

I  am  old,  having  lived  near  fourfcore  years,  and  I 
know  not  the  day  of  my  death  ;  but  have  no  reafon  to 
think  it  is  far  diftant. 

It  is  my  earneft  wifh  to  leave  a  bleffing  behind  me 
when  I  fhall  go  hence  :  and  I  have  the  confolation  to 
know  I  fhall.  Jefus  Chriil  is  the  fame,  yellerday,  to- 
day and  forever.  He  lives  and  reigns  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church.  He  will  reign  till  all  his  enemies 
are  put  under  his  feet ;  till  he  has  deftroyed  the  works 
of  the  devil,  and  perfectly  completed  the  work  of  re* 
demption  ;  yea,  he  will  reign  forever.  He  will  caufe 
all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  in  whith  Satan  has 
reigned  fo  long,  to  become  his  own  kingdom,  and  all 
nations  fhall  ferve  him,  and  be  holy  and  happy  under 
his  influence,  protection  and  fmiles.  Of  this  blcfl'ed 
time  the  Bible  is  full  of  predictions  and  promifes.  This 
blefling  I  leave  behind  me  for  the  world  to  enjoy  long 
after  I  am  dead ;  for  I  am  fure  that  the  time  is  coming 
when  all  the  families  and  nations  of  the  earth  fhall  be 


35^5  *rpiE  author's  farewell        Sbrm.  XXI. 

blcjfcd  in  Jefus  Chrift.  The  alTurance  of  this  affords 
fupport  and  confolation  to  me,  while  I  am  furveying 
mankind  in  their  prefent  linful  and  wretched  ftate. 

It  is  doubtlefs  impofiible  to  make  an  exad  calculation 
of  the  number  of  inhabitants  now  living  in  this  world, 
which  flirJl  be  agreeable  to  the  truth,  and  may  not  err 
in  fixing  on  millions  lefs  or  more  than  do  actually  exift. 
But  they  who  have  attended  to  this  point,  and  perhaps 
are  beft  able  to  judge,  have  fuppofed  that  there  are  not 
lefs,  but  perhaps  more,  than  eight  hundred  millicns  of 
people  now  living  on  earth :  that  of  thefe,  four 
hundred  and  eighty-one  m.illions  are  Heathens  ;  one 
hundred  and  forty  millions  are  Mahometans ;  and 
nine  millions  are  Jews.  All  which  amount  to  fix 
hundred  and  thirty  millions.  There  remain  one 
hundred  and  feventy  millions,  which  are  fuppofed  to 
be  nominal  Chriftians.  Of  thefe  ninety  millions  arc 
Papifls,  thirty  millions  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  fifty 
millions  Prgteilants. 

It  is  not  probable  that  this  computation  is  exact,  ac- 
cording to  the  truth,  and  fome  may  make  a  different 
one ;  but  this  is  perhaps  as  near  the  truth  as  any  that 
can  at  prefent  be  made.  I  cannot  fpeak  to  all  thefe,  fo 
as  to  be  heard,  and  there  is  but  a  very  fmall  number, 
compared  with  the  whole,  whorfi  I  fhall  ever  know  in 
this  world,  or  who  will  know  or  hear  of  me.  But  I 
am  fure  to  meet  not  only  all  who  are  now  in  the 
world,  but  all  the  countlefs  millions  who  ever  have 
lived,  or  fhall  exifl  hereafter  to  the  end  of  the  world,  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  when  i  fhall  know  the  charuc^ber 
of  every  individual  perfon,  a,nd  mine  will  be  infpe<fte<i 
and  known  by  all.  - 

The  earth  is  far  from  being  filled  with  inhabitants. 
There  is  room  for  many  more,  probably  a  thoufand, 
yea  many  thoufands,  to  one  of  the  prefent  inhabitants. 
The  earth  when  properly  and  fully  cultivated,  and  the 
produce  prudently  ufed  to  anfwer  the  ends  of  living, 
would  fupport  a  multitude  of  inhabitants,  even  beyond 
all  our  prefent  calculation,      Noah  and  his  fons,  and 


5ia»M.  XXI.  TO  THE  woxifl.  ;^Sf 

in  them  every  generation  of  mankind  who  have  de- 
fcended  froni  them,  received  a  command  from  God  to 
muitiply  and  ^11  the  earth.  This  command  has  not 
yet  been  properly  regarded  by  mankind;  but,  inllead 
of  this,  they  have  in  a  great  mcafure  depopulated  the 
earth,  by  \yars  and  cruel  flaughters  of  each  other,  and 
the  praftice  of  a  variety  of  deilrudive  vices,  by  v^'hicli 
multitudes  have  been  immaturely  cut  oS"  in  every  age. 
And,  by  rcafon  of  the  great  corruption  and  horrid  re- 
bellion of  mankind  in  every  age,  God  has  been  pleafed 
to  {how  his  difpleafure  by  deftroying  the  bigger  half, 
that  have  been  born,  .in  their  infancy,  or  the  early 
days  of  youth.  But  the  time  is  coming  when  a  genera- 
tion fhall  rife  up  who  fhall  know  and  fear  the  Lord, 
and  love  their  neighbour  as  themfeives,  and  fhall  learn 
war  no  more,  and  there  Ihall  be  none  to  deftroy  or 
hurt  in  all  the  earth  :  and,  in  the  pradice  of  piety  and 
every  focial  virtue,  under  the  fmiles  of  Heaven,  they 
will  be  happy,  and  multiply  and  fill  the  earth. 

According  to  the  foregoing  calculation,  the  greater 
part  of  mankind  now  on  the  earth  are  m  a  ftate  of 
Heathenifm  ;  and  there  are  near  as  many  Jev.'^s  and 
Mahontdtans,  as  nominal  Chrillians,  who  are  profefled 
enemies  to  Chriftianity,  and  are  in  as  bad,  yea,  worfc 
ilate,  than  are  the  heathen. 

It  is  the  preceptive  v.  ill  of  God  our  Saviour,  that  all 
men  ihouid  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  and 
be  faved.  He  com.manded  his  difciples  to  "go  into 
all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gofpel  to  every  creature." 
And  every  one  to  whom  the  gofpel  is  preached  is  com- 
manded to  repent  and  believe  the  faving  truth.  It  is 
therefore  wholly  owing  to  the  difobedience  and  wicked- . 
nefs  of  man,  both  Chrillians  and  Heathen,  Mahometans 
and  Jews,  Infidels  and  Atheifts,  that  the  gofpel  has  not 
been  preached  to  all  mankind,  and  that  they  have  not 
all  embraced  it,  to  the  falvation  of  their  fouls. 

Notwithilanding  man's  natural  difpofition  to  oppofe,  • 
hate  and  rejed  the  golpel,  and  the  many  diiSculties  and 
dangers  which  hence  arife,  in  attempts  to  fpread  the 

gofpel' 


36<5  THE    AUTHOR"' S'   fotRlEX^ELL  ShRM.    X-XL 

gofpel  among -the  Heathen  and  others,  it  is  the  duty  of 
ChriiH:ins  to  exert  theml'elves,  and  take  every  proper 
uielhod  to  propagate  it  far  and  wide,  to  the  utmod  of 
their  power,  looking  to  and  trufling  in  Chrift,  to  caufe 
his  word  to  run  and  be  glorified.  Love  to  Chrift,  and 
benevolence  to  men  who  are  perifhing  in  darknefs  and 
fni,  are  fuiucient,  if  properly  exerciied,  to  induce 
Chriftians  to  unite  in  the  profecution  of  this  moil  im- 
portant ailair.  Chriftians  enjoy  the  richeft  treafure  by 
the  gofpel,  and  they  will  not  diminiih  but  increafe  their 
own  part  in  it  by  their  attempts  to  impart  it  to  others. 

Within  X  few  years  paft  a  great  and  extraordinary 
zeal  and  engagcdneis  to  propagate' the  gofpel  among 
the  Heathien,  and  others  who  have  it  not  preached  to 
them,  has  appeared,  and  been  uncommonly  exerted, 
botli  in  Europe  and  America,  And  I  obferve  with  ap- 
probation and  pleafure,  that  all  the  focieties  which  have 
been  formed  are  agreed  in  the  great  and  leading 
doctrines  of  the  gofpel,  which  have  been  called  the 
do^rincs  of  grace^  or  Calvinifm  ;  and  that  they  appear, 
in  all  their  publications,  to  exprefs  a  fpirit  of  true  piety, 
and  zeal  to  maintain  and  propagate  thefe  doctrines, 
and  to  approve  of  no  miiiionaries  who  do  not  appear 
cordially  to  pmbrace  them,  and  to  be  truly  pious,  as 
I  am  certain  that  this  is  the  only  fcheme  of  do6lrines 
which  is  confiftent  with  itfelf,  and  with  the  Bible,  and 
I'uited  to  convey  faving  truths  to  the  minds  of  m.en. 

This  is  an  important  and  commendable  deirgn  and 
work,  and  Vv^orthy  to  be  purfued  with  incr^afing  zeal 
and  Heady  perfeverance  by  all  Chriftians,  whatever 
diiilculties,  difappointments  and  apparent  difcourage- 
ments  may  occur.  And  though  the  attempts  fiiould 
not  be  fucceeded  in  the  converfion  of  one  heathen,  yet 
they  who  honeftly,  and  from  truly  Chriftian  principles, 
engage  in  this  caufe,  however  much  they  riik  or  ex- 
pend, and  even  if  they  lofe  their  own  lives  in  it,  they 
will  really  lofe  notliing  by  it,  but  riieet  with  a  rich  re- 
ward. And  if  but  few  fouls  fiiall  be  gathered  to  Chrift; 
and  be  faved,  thia  will  more  than  compenfate  for  all 

the 


$£R.M.    XXI.  TO    TH£    WORLD.  361 

the  coft  and  pains  that  can  be  beftowed  In  the  caufe ; 
for  one  foul  is  worth  more  than  ten  thoufand  worlds. 
And  though  Ifrael  be  not  now  gathered,  and  there  lliall 
be  no  great  and  remarkable  fuccefs  at  prefent ;  yet  they 
{hall  be  acceptable  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  it  will, 
in  iome  way,  though  now  unknown  to  ns,  ferve  to  pro- 
mote and  haften  on  the  happy  day  when  the  Heathen 
Ihall  be  given  to  Chrift  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  ut- 
termoft  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  poifeilion. 

In  this  view  I  rejoice  when  I  am  taking  my  leave  of 
the  world,  and  heartily  wifh  fuccefs  and  God  fpeed  to 
all  who  are,  and  the  many  more  who  hereafter  ihall  be, 
engaged  in  this  happy,  glorious  work. 

Of  nominal  Chriilians  above  two  thirds  are  Papifls, 
tor  of  the  Greek  church,  and  near  one  third  are  Protef- 
tants,  who  are  not  more  than  the  iixteenth  part  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth.  The  Popifh  church  has  cor- 
rupted the  gofpel,  introduced  innumerable  fliperftitious 
inftitutions  and  practices,  and  an  idolatry,  in  many  re- 
fpecls  more  grofs  and  wicked  than  that  of  the  Heathen. 
In  fcripture  the  head  of  this  church,  the  Pope,  is  called 
Antichriil  and  the  Beaft,  who,  v/ith  all  his  followers, 
who  receive  his  mark,  are  doomed  to  deftruclion.  The 
Greek  church  is  funk  into  ignorance  and  fuperftition, 
and  have  departed  from  the  elTential  truths  and  duties 
of  Chriftianity.*  We  are  not  therefore  to  look  into 
cither  of  thefe  churches  for  many,  if  any,  real  Chriilians. 
As  public  bodies,  they  will  ceafe  to  exift,  when  real 
Ghriftianity,  in  the  truth  and  power  of  it,  fhall  prevail 
through  all  the  world.  I  therefore  take  my  leave  of 
them,  as  by  the  fcripture  doomed  to  deftruction. 

The  Proteflants,  who  began  their  feparation  from  the 
church  of  Rome  in  the  iixteenth  century,  when  what  is 
called  the  reform.ation  from  Popery  took  place,  under 
the  preaching  and  and  writings  of  Luther  and  Calvin, 
and  many  other  reformers,  are  now  divided  into 
various  different  fccts,  parties  and  denominations,  differ- 
ing in  the  doftrines  which  they  hold,  and  in  their 
manner  of  difciphnc,  and  in  the  mode  of  adminiilering 
A  a  a  the 


'^62^-  THE    author's'"  FAS.EWKLL  SlTRM.    XlCL 

the  ordinances  of  baptifiri  and  the  Lord's  fupper,  and 
the  proper  fubjecls  of  thefe  ordinances,  and  in  the  mode 
of  worihip,  &c.  In  the  time  of  the  reformation,  and 
for  fome  time  after,  the  body  of  the  reformed  agreed 
in  the  moft  important  and  fundamental  dodrines  of 
the  gofpel,  which  appears  by  their  confeflions  of  faith 
and  catechifms,  which  they  publiflied,  and  are  the 
fame,  as  to  fubftance,  with  the  dodrines  which  Calvin 
publiflied  in  his  Inftitutions.  The  articles  of  faith  of 
the  church  of  England,  formed  not  long  after  the  re- 
formation from  Popery,  are  after  the  fame  model, 
Calviniftic.  About  the  middle  of  the  feventeenth 
century,  a  confelTion  of  faith  and  catechifms  were 
formed  by  an  aflembly  of  divines,  called  together  from 
England  and  Scotland,  by  both  houfes  of  the  Englifli 
parliament ;  which  confeflion  and  larger  and  fmaller 
catechifms  were  approved  and  ordered  to  be  publiflied 
by  both  houfes  of  faid  parliament,  and  the  parliamicnt 
and  general  aflembly  of  the  church  of  Scotland.  And 
they  were  fubfcribed  or  afiented  to  by  all  ranks  of 
people  in  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland.  This  con- 
fefiion  of  faith,  and  thefe  catechifms,  are  what  may  be, 
and  is  generally,  called y?r/t:?  Cahinifm.  And  they  have 
been  allented  to,  taught  and  maintained  by  many"  to 
this  day. 

But  doctrines  contrary  to  thofe  contained  in  this 
confeflion  of  faith  were  introduced  among  Proteftants 
not  long  after  the  reformation  from  Popery,  and 
were  conliderably  fpread,  when  the  above  faid  con- 
feflion was  formed  ;  fuch  as  are  called  x'^.rminianifm,  and 
Antinomianifm,  and  thofe  held  by  Arians  and  Socinians, 
who  not  only  agree  with  Arminians  in  rejecting  Calvin- 
ifm,  or  what  are  called  ihe  dodrines  ofgrace^  but  deny  the 
divinity  of  Jefus  Chrifl:.  Thefe  doctrines  have  had  a 
great  increafe  ar.d  fpread  among  Proteflants,  fmce  that 
time,  efj^ecially  in  this  century  ;  and  the  prevalence  of 
Deifm,  to  which  thefe  dodrines  have  a  direct  lead,  has 
taken  place,  and  real,  practical  religion  has  decayed, 
and  vice  of  alvnofl:  every  kind  has  increafed  and  abound- 
ed 


SeRM.    XXI.  TO,  THE    WORLD.  363 

cd  in  proportion  to  the  propagation  of  thefe  doctrines, 
which  are  oppoi'ed  to  Galvinifm,  and  have  a  tendency 
to  fpread  infidelity. 

About  the  middle  of  this  century  the  attention  of 
multitudes  was  roufed,  and  there  was  a  great  ap.d  re- 
markable revival  of  religion,  in  Britain,  Ireland  and 
America,  principally  under  the  preaching  of  Whitefield, 
and  thofe  who  joined  with  him.  Great  numbers  were 
hopefully  converted,  and  embraced  the  doctrines  of 
Galvinifm.  But  there  was  too  great  a  mixture  of  de- 
lulion  and  falfe  religion,  v/hich  has  continued  :n:d  been 
fpreading  fmce  that  time,  v\^hile  the  whole  has  been  the 
mean  of  the  increafe  of  light  and  knowledge  of  the 
J:ruth,  by  which  true  rehgion  has  been  diftinguifhed 
from  that  which  is  falfe,  and  the  important  doctrines 
of  the  gofpel  have  been  pointed  out  and  vindicated,  in 
oppofition  to  the  various  errors  which  have  been  em- 
braced by  many,  by  the  writings  or  preaching  of  thofe 
who  have  appeared  to  have  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth.  But  by  far  the  greater  part,  even  the  body 
of  the  people,  appear  not  to  have  partook  of  the  benefit 
of  this  revival  of  religion  ;  and  moft  who  lived  in  the 
time  of  it  were  prejudiced  againft  it,  and  oppofers  of  it, 
and  many  of  thofe  who  at  firlt  appeared  friendly  to  it 
apollatized,  and  either  embraced  errors  and  falfe  re- 
ligion, or  abandoned  themfelves  to  vice  and  infidelity ; 
and  on  the  whole  it  has  been  the  mean  of  hardening 
men  in  fin,  and  againft  the  truth  and  all  true  religion, 
and  againft  Chriftianity  itfelf ;  fo  that  religion  has  been 
gradually  decaying,  in  general,  from  that  time  to  this, 
and  the  above  mentioned  errors,  and  Deifm,  and  even 
Atheifm,  have  been  faft  fpreading,  and  greedily  em- 
braced by  multitudes,  in  oppofition  to  all  truth.  And 
vice  and  immorality  have  kept  pace  with  this,  as  the 
natural  effect. 

Deifm  and  Atheifm,  which  are  near  akind,  as  the 
former  really  implies  the  latter,  and  naturally  runs  into 
it,  both  being  not  only  oppofition  to  Chriftianity,  but  to 
all  religion,  have  for  a  century  had  a  rapid  fpread  in 

Germany, 


364  THE    AUTITOr's    FAREWELL         Serm.    XXI. 

Germany,  and  more  or  lefs  in  all  parts  of  Europe. 
This  has  been  promoted  with  uncommon  zeal,  and 
fecret  cunning,  by  a  number  of  pretended  philofophers, 
who,  with  their  abettors,  have  at  length  etfeftcd  the 
public  expulfion  of  Chriflianity  from  France.  And  they 
do  not  ftop  here,  but  are  determined,  as  foon  as  poffible, 
to  eifect  the  extirpation  of  Chrillianity  and  all  rehgion 
from  ihe  Chriftian  world.  Yea,  they  extend  their 
views  farther,  and  are  attempting,  as  far  as  they  iliall 
have  opportunity,  to  put  an  end  to  all  religion  of  every 
kind,  ;ind  all  civil  government,  in  every  nation  on 
earth,  where  there  is  any  degree  of  thefe.  They  have 
extended  their  views  to  America,  and  have  emiffaries, 
both  fecret  and  more  open,  attempting  to  fpread  thefe 
pernicious  principles ;  and  there  are  multitudes,  efpecial- 
ly  of  the  riiing  generation,  who  are  prepared  to  receive 
them. 

Though  there  have  been  of  late  fome  inftanccs  of  ap- 
parent revival  of  religion,  both  by  zealoufly  embracing 
and  promoting  Calvinifm,  or  the  true  doctrines  of  the 
gofpel,  and  exhibiting  the  power  and  life  of  experi- 
mental religion  in  practice,  both  in  Europe  and 
America  ;  yet  the  great  body  and  mafs  of  the  people 
are  evidently  fall  growing  more  and  more  corrupt  in 
principle  and  practice.  But  very  few  of  the  whole  are 
willing  to  make  a  profeflion  of  religion,  and  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  profeffors  do  not  underftand  or  believe 
tiie  important,  effential  do<5lrines  of  the  gofpel,  and  are 
far  from  a  iteady,  zealous  conformity  to  the  holy  rules 
of  it  in  practice,  and  fhining  as  lights,  in  diftin^tion 
from  the  world.  Attending  on  public  worfhip  is  more 
and  more  neglected  and  defpifed  ;  and  profanation  of 
the  fabbath  is  more  common,  by  irreligious  viiits,  vain 
com.panies,  and  walking  or  riding  abroad  in  companies. 
Family  religion  is  generally  excluded  ;  and  family  go- 
vernment and  good  order,  and  the  religious  inftruclion 
and  education  of  children,  is  become  very  rare,  and 
generally  neglected  ;  w^hich  gives  a  dark  and  melan- 
choly profpect  refpecting  the    religion    and  morals  of 

the 


SeRM.   XXI.  TO    THE    WORLD.  365 

the  rifing  and  future  generations.  And  in  proportion 
to  the  neglect  of  public  worihip,  and  the  profanation  of 
the  fabbath,  and  the  increafe  of  profanenefs  and  other 
vices,  there  is  an  increafing  defire  and  engagednefs  to 
attend  the  foohfli,  wicked  and  corrupting  divcrfions  of 
the  llage  or  theatre,  and  other  fmful  alTemblies  and 
amufements. 

The  prefent  ftate  of  religion,  both  as  to  the  doctrines 
and  practice  of  thofe  who  profefs  to  believe  that 
Chriftianity  is  a  divine  inftitution,  and  of  thofe  who  are 
profefled  iniidels,  affords  a  clear  practical  demonftration 
of  what  the  Bible  abundantly  holds  forth,  viz.  that  true 
rehgion,  in  principle  and  pra6lice,  cannot  be  prefervcd 
and  maintained  in  the  world,  but  will  foon  vaniili,  be 
rejected  and  loft,  if  the  powerful  influences  of  the  Spirit 
be  withheld,  and  do  not  attend  the  preaching  of  the 
gofpel,  and  the  adminiftration  of  the  inftituted  ordinan- 
ces of  it,  to  the  faving  converflon  of  finner?;,  and  the 
quickening,  ftrengthcning  and  comfort  of  believers. 
When  men  remain  under  the  power  of  the  natural 
corruption  and  ignorance  of  their  minds,  not  being 
born  of  the  Spirit,  and  taught  of  God  fo  as  to  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  by  the  renewing  of  their 
minds,  their  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  againft 
God,  will  either  lead  them  to  reject  the  gofpel  wholly 
as  a  m.ere  fable,  and  not  worthy  of  credit,  or  to  cor- 
rupt it  in  the  doctrines  and  duties  which  it  inculcates, 
fo  as  to  render  it  conformable  to  the  corrupt  inclina- 
tions of  their  own  hearts.  And  this  is  no  new  difcove- 
ry,  but  the  evidence  of  it  has  exifted  and  been  increaf- 
ing ever  lince  Chriftianity  has  been  publifhed  to  the 
world,  by  the  treatment  it  has  received  from  all  to  whom 
it  has  been  preached,  except  thofe  who  have  known  and 
acknowledged  that  they  were  brought  to  underftand 
and  embrace  it  by  the  invilible  and  powerful  operations 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  that,  v/ere  it  not  for  tliis  diftin- 
guifliing,  fovereign  goodnefs  of  God,  and  they  had  been 
left  to  themfelves,  they  fliould  not  have  beUeved  and 

embraced 


■566  THE    author's    FAREWELL  SeRM.    XXI. 


J 


embraced  the  gofpel,  and  difcerned  and  loved  the  truths 
and  duties  there  revealed,  but  fhould  have  perfevered  in 
ignorance  and  difobedience. 

This  evident  facl  is  a  continual,  flanding  evidence  of 
two  things,  viz.  That  Chriflianity  is  a  wife  and  holy  in- 
ftitution,  and  from  heaven ;  and  that  mankind  are  to- 
tally depraved. 

I.  This  is  an  evidence  that  Chriflianity  is  from  hea- 
ven, and  a  holy  inftitution  ;  and  that  two  ways.  It  is 
an  evidence  that  it  is  from  heaven,  from  its  beino;  con- 
tmued  and  maintained  in  the  world  to  this  day,  not- 
withftanding  the  great  and  continual  oppofition  of  man- 
kind to  it,  and  their  unwearied  attempts  to  extirpate  or 
corrupt  it.  Had  not  Jefus  Chrift  been  from  heaven, 
and  was  he  not  gone  there  to  maintain  his  caufe  and 
church  on  earth,  fo  that  the  gates  of  hell  fliould  not 
prevail  againft  it,  agreeable  to  his  promife,  by  the  con- 
llant  exertion  of  his  power  and  invifible  influence,  Chrif- 
tianity  and  the  church  could  not  have  lived  to  this 
time,  but  the  great  truths  on  which  the  true  church  of 
Chrifl  is  built  would  have  been  difcarded  and  forgotten 
long  ago.  And  it  is  an  evidence  that  Chriflianity  and 
ail  the  elTential  doctrines  of  it  are  from  heaven,  and  that 
it  is  an  holy  inftitution,  that  it  is  fo  difagreeable  and 
difpleafmg  to  fallen,  depraved  men,  by  which  they  are 
difpofed  to  oppofe  and  reject  it,  unlefs  corrupted  and 
altered  fo  as  to  be  agreeable  to  their  tafte,  and  their 
reigning  lufts.  Had  the  gofpel  been  of  men,  a  mere 
human  contrivance,  it  would  have  been  fuited  to  the 
natural  humour,  tafle  and  inclinations  of  man,  fo  that 
there  would  be  no  need  of  a  fupernatural  change  of 
heart  in  order  to  their  cordial  approbation  of  it,  and 
compliance  with  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  it.  But 
if  it  be  from  heaven,  it  muft  be  a  holy  inftitution,  and 
therefore  difagreeable  to  fallen  man.  Were  it  fuited  to 
pieafe  the  corrupt  tafte  and  finful  inclinations  of  man, 
it  would  be  worfe  than  nothing,  and  could  not  be  from 
heaven.  But  fmce  the  true  docfrines  and  precepts  of 
Chriflianity  are  directly  contrary  to  the  heart  and  reign- 

injr 


SeRM.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLD.  ^O/ 

ing  inclinations  of  fallen  man,  fo  that  he  muft  be  born 
again  and  be  a  new  creature,  in  order  to  his  being  a 
friend  to  the  gofpel,  or  even  underftanding  and  believ- 
ing it,  it  is  certainly  an  excellent,  holy  iniUtution,  and 
muft  be  from  heaven.  Agreeable  to  this,  Chrift  faid  to 
the  Jews,  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  nanic,  and  ye  re- 
ceive me  not.  If  another  (liall  come  in  his  own  name, 
him  ye  will  receive.'*  And  Paul  faid,  "If^I  yet  pleafed 
men,  I  fhould  not  be  the  fervant  of  Chrift."  ^ 

2.  This  is  an  evidence  of  the  total  depravity  of  m.an- 
kind  ;  not  only  that  they  are  fallen  and  depraved,  but 
that  they  are  wholly  depraved  in  all  their  moral  powers- 
have  not  the  leaft  degree  of  right  moral  tafte  and  incli- 
nation, but  are  wholly  under  the  power  of  the  contrary. 
As  the  fcripture  fays,  "  They  are  altogether  become  fil- 
thy ;  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no  not  one.'*  When 
a  revelation  comes  from  heaven  perfectly  wife,  holy  and 
good,  and  fuited  to  relieve  and  fave  man  from  his  fal- 
len, wretched  ftate,  revealing  a  Saviour  infinitely  excel- 
lent and  glorious,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  and  offering 
complete,  eternal  falvation  to  every  one  who  is  willing 
to  have  it ;  if  man  had  the  leaft  degree  or  fpark  of  mo- 
ral goodnefs  or  inclination  ;  yea,  if  he  were  not  wholly 
an  enemy  to  God  and  every  thing  right  and  holy ;  he 
would  not  hate  and  rejed  fuch  an  offer,  but  gladly  em- 
brace it.  Mankind  would  not  join  together  to  invent 
fome  way  to  corrupt  and  fpoil  it,  or  root  it  out  of  the 
world,  were  they  not  total  and  ftrong  enemies  to  God 
and  all  that  is  wife  and  good,  and  confequently  enemies 
to  their  own  good.  "This  is  the  condemnation'*  of 
man,  as  totally  corrupt  and  an  exceedingly  criminal  ene- 
my to  God,  "  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and 
men  have  loved  darknefs  rather  than  light,  becaufe  their 
deeds  were  evil." 

But,  to  return  to  the  view  which  has  been  given  of 
the  prefent  ftate  of  the  world  :  It  appears  to  me,  as  it 
alio  doth  to  fome  noted  writers  on  the  Revelation,  that 
the  fix th  vial,  mentioned  Rev.  xvi.  12— -i  6,  is  now  run- 
ning, and  began  to  be  poured  out  at  the  beoinning  of 

the 


36S  rnt    AUTIIOR^S    I'AKLWLLL  I$£RM.    XXL 

the  eighteenth  century,  or  fome  years  before,  and  will 
continue  to  run  Ibme  part  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
perhaps  near  fifty  years  of  it.  Under  this  viai  John 
"  faw  three  unclean  fpirits,  like  frogs,  come  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  bead, 
and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  falfe  prophet.  For  they 
are  the  fpirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  [or  wonders  J 
which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of  the 
whole  world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  the  great 
day  of  God  Almighty."  Eight  years  ago  I  publiflied  a 
particular  explanation  of  this  paffage  in  a  Treatife  on  the 
Millennium.  It  is  needlcfs  to  repeat  that.  I  fliall  only 
obferve  here,  that  this  is  a  reprefcntation  of  the  uncom- 
mon fpread  and  prevalence  of  error  and  wickednefs  of 
every  kind  over  all  the  world,  among  all  orders  of  men, 
efpecially  the  Chriftian  world,  under  the  influence  of 
the  devil,  by  which  men  in  general  will  be  in  an  unufual 
degree  combined,  engaged  and  armed  againft  the  reign- 
ing God  the  Saviour,  and  fliall  produce  great,  ftrange 
and  wonderful  events.  And  when  the  iniquity  of  the 
work!  is  become  full,  and  men  in  general  are  ripe  for 
deihu6lion,  God  will  come  forth  out  of  his  place  to  pu- 
nifli  the  world  for  their  wickednefs,  in  a  moft  terrible 
battle  againft  them,  by  pouring  the  moft  dreadful  cala- 
mities and  deftruclion  upon  them,  under  the  feventh 
and  laft  vial  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  reprefented 
in  this  chapter,  verfe  17th  to  the  end,  and  in  the  xixth 
chapter,  verfe  nth  to  the  end.  This  will  prepare  the 
way  for  the  introduction  of  the  millennium,  when  the 
church  of  Chrift  fliall  increafe  and  profper,  in  an  unex- 
ampled ftate  of  purity  and  liappinefs,  for  a  thoufand 
years. 

In  the  view  of  this  prefcnt  dark  and  evil  ftate  of  the 
world,  and  the  profpect  of  yet  greater  wickednefs  and 
more  dreadful  calamities  wJiich  are  to  take  place  for  ages 
and  generations  to  come  on  the  ftage,  I  now  take  my 
leave  of  it,  witli  a  mixture  of  grief  and  joy  ;  knowing 
that  all  this  wrath  of  man  fliall  praife  God,  and  all  the 
fin  and  mifery  that  will  take  place  is  neceflary  for,  and 

will 


SeRM.    XXI.  To    THE    WORLB.  369 

Will  iffue  in,  the  moft  glorious  difp]ay  of  tlie  Divine  Ciia- 
rader,  and  the  greateft  glory  and  happinefs  of  Chriil 
and  his  church  ;  and  that  he  will  haflen  an  end  to  thefe 
evils  in  this  world  as  faft  and  as  foon  as  it  can  be  done 
confiftcnt  with  his  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  and  fo  as  to 
bring  on  the  millennium  in  the  beft  manner  and  time. 

I  think  their  notion  is  entirely  v/ithout  foundation, 
yea,  contrary  to  fcripture,  who  imagine  that  the  end  ot 
the  world  may  come,  and  Chriil  come  to  judgment  im- 
mediately, at  any  day  or  hour  now.  Chriil  has  fore- 
told many  things  which  muft  come  to  pafs  between  this 
time  and  that  grand  event.  Nor,  as  they  think,  would 
the  preaching  of  fuch  a  doclrine  tend  to  awaken  people, 
and  prevent  their  going  on  in  fecurity  and  fin,  more 
than  what  conftantiy  takes  place  before  the  eyes  of  all, 
in  the  death  of  others,  and  reminding  people  that  no 
one  is  fecure  from  death  one  hour  ;  that  Chriil  may 
come  when  they  think  not,  and  carry  them  out  of  the 
world,  which  will  be  as  fatal  to  them,  if  they  are  living 
in  fin,  as  if  he  had  come  to  judgment. 

Nor  is  their  opinion  founded  on  any  reafon  or  fcrip. 
ture,  who  think  that  but  few  of  mankind,  on  the  whole, 
will  be  faved.  What  our  Saviour  fays  of  this  refpecled 
the  then  prcfent  time.  His  words  are  in  the  prefent 
tenfe  :  "  Few  are  faved."  He  does  not  fay  what  will 
be  in  other  ages  of  the  world.  He  has  foretold  a  time 
when  all  the  kino-doms  of  the  world  fiiall  be  broug;ht  in- 
to  his  church  and  kingdom  ;  and  fo  many  may  exiil  in 
this  time  as  to  outnumber  ail  that  will  be  left. 

Therefore  while  I  am  taking  my  leave  of  the  v/orld 
of  mankind,  who  now  lie  in  the  wicked  one,  and  are 
going  on  from  bad  to  worfe,  I  may  look  beyond  this 
evil  time,  and  with  pleafure  hail  the  incalculable  mil- 
lions of  holy  and  happy  fons  and  daughters  of  Adam 
who  fl^all  yet  arife  and  live  en  the  earth,  and  be  glad 
and  rejoice  in  the  glory  of  Chrift  and  their  fp.lvation. 

How  many  and  which  of  the  nations  which  are  now 

Heathen  or  Mahometans,  will  be  preferved  as  a  diftin'fi: 

people  through  all  the  revolutions  and  dreadful  judg- 

B  b  b  inents 


37^  THE    AUTHOR*S    ?AREWILL  SeRM.  XXI* 

ments  which  are  to  take  place  preparatory  to  the  mit 
iennium,  and  will  be  then,  or  before,  converted,  and 
Ihare  in  the  blefiings  of  that  day,  cannot  be  now  de- 
termined. And  this  is  true  with  regard  to  the  varioui 
nations  now  in  Chriftendom.  Some  of  them,  and  wc 
know  not  how  many,  may  become  extinct,  in  the  evil 
timies  that  are  coming,  and  the  gofpelbe  carried  to 
other  nations,  who  do  not  now  enjoy  it.  It  is  enough 
for  us  to  know  that  every  event  and  circumftancc,  with 
refped  to  this,  will  be  ordered  in  the  wi left  and  bcft 
manner  by  Chriftu  fo  as  to  accomplifli  his  purpofe,  to 
glorify  himfelf,  and  effect  the  grcateft  good  of  his 
church.  As  to  the  Jews,  we  know  that  mercy  is  in 
liore  for  them.  They  fhail,  more  or  lefs  of  them,  be 
prcfervcd  a  diilinct  nation,  through  ail  the  terrible  fliak- 
ings  of  the  earth  which  are  coming,  down  to  the  m.il- 
lennium,  and  have  a  large  lliare  in  the  bleflings  of  that 
day. 

I  take  my  leave  of  them,  being  now  in  a  fcattercd, 
afflicted  ftate,  under  the  power  of  an  evil  heart  of  un^ 
belief,  in  the  alTured,  joyful  profpe6t  of  the  great  good 
that  is  coming  to  them,  when  their  reception  into  the 
church  of  Chrift  will  be  life  from  the  dead,  and  the  un- 
fearchable  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom,  good*- 
j:iels  and  knowledge  of  Chrifl;  will  be  forever  adored  by 
all  the  redeemed.  Oh,  how  ihall  all  their  paft  and  pre- 
fent  wrath,  together  with  their  future  reconciliation, 
praife  Him  ! 

When  I  turn  my  attention  to  Chriftendom,  with 
pain  and  abhorrence  1  pafs  over  the  beaft,  the  Pope  and 
his  adherents,  even  all  who  receive  the  mark  of  this 
beaft,  as  doomed  to  certain  deftru6tion  :  and  I  am  with- 
out any  aflurance  that  thofc  who  belong  to  the  apoftate 
Greek  church  will  clcape  this  dreadful  evil. 

But  what  Ihall  i  fay  of  or  to  thofe  who  are  called 
Protcftants  ?  Great  numbers  who  live  among  Proteftants 
have  profc'Ted  to  diibelieve  and  renounce  Chriftianity, 
and  many  have  written  againft  it,  and  attempt  to  prove 
*hat  it  is  a  mere  fable,  not  worthy  of  the  Icaft  credit* 

And 


SeRM.    XXL  TO    THE    WORLB.  3/! 

And  though  all  they  have  written  has  been  fully  and 
often  refuted,  they  perfift  in  their  infidelity,  and  their 
number  appears  to  be  greatly  increaiing,  either  openly 
or  more  fecrctly ;  while  they  are  affiduoufly  endeavour- 
ing to  inhnuatc  their  tenets  by  all  poffiblc  means 
wherever  they  can  have,  any  influence,  which  they  ap- 
pear tchave,  efpecially  on  the  riling  generation  ;  fo  that 
they  will  foon  be  greatly  the  majority,  if  they  are  not  fo 
nowy  unlefs  Chrift  interpofc  by  his  irrcfiftible  power. 

I  take  my  leave  of  all  thefe,  knowing  that  if  they  per- 
fift in  their  unbelief,  they  will  die  in  their  fms,  and 
perifh  in  a  greatly  aggravated  and  everlafting  deftruc- 
tion.  But  at  the  fame  time  I  have  the  peace  and  com- 
fort, which  no  man  can  take  from  me,  in  the  aifurancc 
that,  though  they  are  infinitely  warfe  than  loft  to  them- 
felves,  they  are  not  loft  to  Chrift  and  his  church.  For 
this  their  infidelity,  a  peculiar  kind  of  aggravated  wrath, 
and  ail  the  confequent  evil  which  is  coming  upon  them, 
will  turn  to,  the  praife  of  the.  Redeemer  forever,  and  he 
will  be  more  honoured,  and  the  redeemed  more  happy, 
than  if  fuch  infidels  had  not  exifted. 

Still  a  more  affeding  and  dreadful  fight,  if  pofiible, 
opens  to  my  view.  There  is  in  the  Proteftant  world, 
and  among  us,  an  innumerable  hoft  of  people,  who, 
though  they  do  not  profefs  to  diftDclieve  the  gofpel,  yet 
do  not  obey  it,  but  live  in  oppofition  to  it,  and  in  a 
conftant,  allowed  difobedicncc  to  Chrift,  and  that  not 
only  by  refufing  to  do  what  he  has  commanded,  but  by 
greedily  praclifing  what  he  has  forbidden.  It  would 
take  many  pages  to  enumerate  half  of  the  open  vices 
which  arc  prad:ifed  by  Proteftants,  notwithftanding  all 
the  reftraints  of  civil  government.  Thefe  vices  abound 
among  thofe  ia  high  ftations,  and  in  the  low,  rich  and 
poor,  learned  and  ignorant,  old  and  young.  From  all 
thefe  I  take  my  forrowful  departure,  knowing  that,  un- 
lefs they  repent,  the  time  is  coming  when  Chrift  will 
fay  to  them,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity. 
J)epart,  ye  curfed,  into  everlafting  punifliment."  But 
in  all  this  forrow,  I  am  rejoicing,  that  Chrift  will  cleanfe 

the 


372  THE  author's  fariwf.ll         Serm.  XXL 

the  world  from  this  wickednefs,  and  when  the  wicked 
are  turned  into  hell,  he  will  iill  it  with  holy  inhabitants, 
and  he  will  be  more  glorified,  and  the  church  more 
happy,  than  could  be  if  all  this  wickednefs  had  not 
taken  place. 

Another  numerous  clafs  of  Proteftants  now  come  into 
view,  who  ai'e  too  ignorant  or  erroneous  to  be  faved. 
M;-riy  of  theie  are  included  in  the  clafs  lall  mentioned, 
but  not  all  ;  for  whether  their  lives  be  vicious,  or  what 
may  be  called  moral,  if  they  be  ignorant  of  the  gofpcl 
and  the  truths  of  which  it  conlifts,  or  if  they  do  not 
believe  thefe  truths,  but  deny  and  reject  them,  they  can- 
not be  faved  by  it. 

I  am  fenfible  that  I  am  now  expofing  myfelf  to  the 
indignation  and  contempt  of  an  increafmg  number,, 
whofe  ientiments  on  this  head  are  what  they  call  catho- 
lic and  Ifeeral.  Thefe  will  fay  to  me,  V/hat  right  have 
you  to  make  a  creed  for  us,  or  any  other  man,  and  in- 
fill that  ali  muft  believe  and  cordially  embrace  the  doc- 
trines you  h'^ld,  in  order  to  be  faved  ?  We  believe  it  is 
of  no  great  iiijportance  what  a  man's  creed  is.  Off 
whether  he  has  any,  if  he  be  honeft  and  lincere  in  what 
he  does^  and  worlhips  God,  and  lives  a  good  moral  life* 

To  thefe  I  have  to  fay.  Ye  are  fome  of  thofe  whom  I 
mean  to  include  in  the  above  defcription.  You  aflert 
that  the  doftrines  or  truths  revealed  in  the  gofpel^  if 
there  be  any,  are  of  no  importance,  fo  that  he  who  does 
not  believe  them,  and  whatever  he  believes,  and  he  v.  ho 
is  totally  ignorant  of  the  truth,  may  be  faved,  as  well  as 
if  they  underflood  and  believed  the  trvith.  You  are 
yourielves  totally  ignorant  of  the  gofpcl,  and  appear  to 
be  real  enemies  to  it  ;  for  if  what  you  afiert  were  true, 
the  gofpel  is  worth  nothing,  and  men  may  be  faved 
without  as  well  as  by  it. 

He  only  who  beheves  the  gofpel,  as  preached  by  the 
infpired  apoftles,  can  be  faved.  If  we  exclude  the  fyflem 
of  truth  contained  in  the  gofpel,  we  exclude  the  gofpel ; 
for  it  wholly  coniifts  in  a  revclaticn  of  thefe  truths* 
Some  of  them  a.re  thefe :  That  all  mankind  are  fmners, 

i» 


SeR-M.  XXI.  TO    THl    WORLD.  575 

in  a  ftate  of  total  moral  depravity  by  nature,  in  confe- 
quence  of  the  apoftacy  of  their  lirll  parents,  and  under 
the  curfe  of  the  righteous  law  of  God  :  that  jefus 
Chrift  came  into  the  world  fo  fave  fuch  loft  fmners,  by 
niaking  a  full  atonement  for  their  fms,  by  fuffcring  m 
their  itcad,  and  meriting  eternal  Hie  for  them  by  his 
obedience,  and  power  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  renew  and 
fanctify  them :  all  which  is  infmiteh'  too  great  for  any 
mere  creature  to  do  ;  therefore  he  muft  be  a  Divine 
Perfon,  really  God  v/iih  us,  manifefted  in  the  human 
nature :  that,  in  order  to  be  faved,  men  muft  be  renew- 
ed unto  hohnefs  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  which  he  is 
the  firft  mover,  by  regenerating  them  ;  of  wliich  none 
have  any  defert  or  claim.  Therefore  he  has  mercy  on 
vrhom  he  will,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth  ;  which 
naturally  and  even  neceiTarily  introduces  the  doclrine 
of  the  divine  decrees  vith  refpect  to  man  and  his  falva- 
tion,  and  confequently  refped:ing  every  thing  elfe  ;  and 
of  election,  and  the  certain  perfeverance  of  believers  to 
complete  falvation :  that  men  obtain  pardon  and  juili- 
fication  by  their  union  to  Chrift,  by  their  believing  on 
and  trufting  in  him  for  this,  and  aU  they  want,  which 
they  receive,  not  out  of  refpect  to  any  goodnefe,  worth 
or  defert  in  thcmfelves,  or  any  thing  they  do  ;  that 
they  are  wholly  dependent  on  God,  for  every  degree 
of  right  difpofition  and  will  to*  do  what  God  requires, 
and  not  in  the  leaft  on  themfelves  ;  and  this  abfblute 
dependence  on  God  extends  to  every  thing  in  which 
they  have  any  concern :  that  their  falvatioH  iis  therefore 
altogether,  from  beginning  to  end,  the  effect  of  un.de- 
ferved,  free,  fovereign  grace :  that  true  holinefs  confifts 
not  at  all  in  fellilh  affeftions,  but  in  difinterefted  love  to 
God  and  man  :  that  they  who  do  not  believe  this  gof- 
pel,  and  are  not  partakers  of  this  holinefs,  and  perfevere 
in  this  way,  will  perifli  in  everlafting  deftruclion. 

Thefe  doctrines  are  all  contained  in  the  gofpel ;  and, 
with  others  not  mentioned,  which  are  implied  in  thefe, 
compofe  a  fyftem  of  truth,  which  is  really  the  gofpel, 
and  is  often  in  the  fcripture  called  The  Truth;  to 

which 


374  ''f'l^  author's  farewell         Serm.  XXL' 

which  Chrift  came  to  bear  witnefs ;  which  men  muft* 
come  to  the  knowledge  of,  in  order  to  be  faved  ;  which 
all  true  Chriftians  are  reprefented  as  cordially  embracing* 
and  walking  in,  as  the  bond  of  their  union  and  love  tO'* 
each  other.  They  therefore  who  do  not  receive  this 
truth,  and  love  it,  but  in  their  hearts  hate  and  oppofe  it, 
do  not  believe  the  gofpel,  are  not  friends  to  it,  and  can- 
not be  faved. 

This  is  evidently  true  of  the  Arians  and  Socinians,. 
who  deny  the  divinity  of  Chrift,  and  confequentiy  the 
need  of  any  proper  atonement  for  fin,  and  oppofe  many 
other  doctrines  of  the  gofpel,  in  which  they  agree  witb 
thofe  called  Arminians.  Thefe  latter  deny  the  depravi- 
ty of  man  by  the  fin  of  Adam,  or  that  he  is  totally  de- 
praved, and  that  they  Hand  in  any  need  to  be  regene- 
rated by  the  irrefiilible  ixifluence  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  order  to  love  God,  and  do  thofe  good  works  by 
which  they  may  pleafe  God  and  be  faved.  They  are  of 
confequence  enemies  to  the  doctrine  of  the  decrees  of 
God,  as  they  refpeft  the  agency  of  man,  in  the  concerns 
of  his  falvation,  as  being,  with  the  other  doctrines  which 
they  dcHv,  contrary  to  the  natural  felfiflinefs,  pride  and^ 
imagined  independence  of  man.  There  are  others  who> 
hold  a  mixture  of  inconfiftent  doctrines,  and  do  not 
profeflediy  join  with  Arminians,  but  evidently  fymbo- 
iize  with  tliem  in.  many  refpects,  and  fo  as  to  exclude 
the  pure,  confiilent  and  elTential  doctrines  of  the  gofpel. 

Some  there  are  who  have  been  properly  called  Anti- 
nomians,  who  hold  that  Chrift  has  fo  aboliflied  the 
moral  law,,  that  Chriftians  are  not  under  obligation  to 
obey  it.  And  there  are  many  others  who  are  real  An- 
tinomians,  who  deny  that  any  man  can  or  ought  to 
love  the  moral  law,  or  God  who  made  it,  fo  long  as  h6 
is  under  the  curfe  of  this  law,  and  confiders  himfelf  fo, 
and  has  no  hope  of  being  delivered  from  it :  but  he 
muft  have  fome  difcovery  that  God  is  m.erciful  to  fin- 
ners,  and  that  there  is  falvatiosi  foi;  them  by  Chrift,  be- 
fore he  can  love  God  or  his  lav/.  And  many,  perhaps 
the  moft  of  this  clafs,  hold  that  no^  man  can  love  God 

or 


T^^P.M.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLD.  ^y  1} 

or  the  Redeemer,  until  he  fees  and  believes,  on  good 
ground,  that  God  loves  him,  and  defigns  to  fave  him  ; 
that  Chrift  died  for  him  in  particular,  and  will  lave 
him.  The  love,  and  all  the  religion,  for  which  all  thefe 
plead,  is  altogether  felfifli,  and  has  not  a  fpark  of  real 
thriilianity  in  it,  but  is  diredly  contrary  to  it.  Jefus 
Chrift  has  declared  it  to  be  fo  :  \_Matth.  v.  43,  to  the  end 
of  the  chapter.']  He  fays  that  the  love  to  others  which  is 
grounded  on  their  love  to  us  is  a  felfifti,  wicked  love, 
which  men  of  the  worft  charadler  do  exercife  ;  that 
Chriftian  love  is  of  a  different  and  contrary  nature,  and 
fb  difinterefted  that  it  v/ill  extend  to  its  worft  enemies. 

There  are  many,  who,  though  they  do  not  exprefsly 
avow  this  felfifli  doctrine,  by  which  all  religion  is  bot- 
tomed on  felf  love,  but  difcard  it,  yet  defcribe  the  reli- 
.gious  views  and  exercifes  of  Chriftians  as  confifting  very 
much  or  altogether  in  felfiftinefs,  and  urge  the  choice 
-and  practice  of  religion  wholly  from  felfifh  motives.  And 
if  it  be  urged  that  true  religion  will  lead  Chriftians  to 
thofe  dilinterefted  affections,  and  that  conduct,  of  which 
Chrift  has  fet  us  an  example,  they  cannot  underftand, 
'but  rather  oppofe  it. 

There  is  another  clafs  of  people  called  Univerfalifts, 
\vho  hold  that  all  men  will  be  finally  faved.  There  has 
been  for  a  few  years  paft  a  conftderable  increafe  of  thofe 
who  profefs  to  embrace  this  fentiment.  Of  thefe  fomc 
are  Arminians,  others  are  Antinomians,  and  fome  en-* 
thuliafts.  Few  or  none  of  them  appear  to  underftand 
and  believe  the  pure,  conftftent  doctrines  of  the  gofpel. 
They  do  not  of  late  appear  to  increafe  who  openly  ef- 
poufe  this  doctrine,  and  yet  adhere  to  the  Bible  ;  and 
moft  of  thefe  loon  lofe  their  zeal  in  their  caufe.  And 
their  belief  appears  to  have  its  natural  effect  on  them, 
and  leads  them  to  live  a  carelefs,  irreligious  life ;  and 
numbers  by  degrees  give  up  the  Bible,  and  link  into  in- 
fidelity. There  is  reafon  to  believe  that  there  are  many 
w^ho  do  not  profefs  to  embrace  this  doftrine,  to  whom 
it  is  fo  pleafing,,  that  they  wifh  and  hope  it  to  be  true ; 
and  it  has  great  influence  upon  them,  and  leads  them  to 


370  tHE  author's  farewell        Serm.  XXL 

a  carelefs  ncglecl  of  and  concern  about  religion,  and  of 
Itricl  morality,  and  lo  hardens  their  hearts,  that  they 
arc  deaf  to  all  admonitions,  and  will  rather  give  up  the 
Bible,  and  turn  infidels,  than  admit  that  any  will  be 
miferable  forever. 

All  thefe,  even  thofe  whofc  outward  conduct  is  not 
immoral,  and  who  appear  religious,  who  yet  cordially 
embrace  and  are  at  heart  pleafed  with  the  errors  which 
have  been  now  mentioned,  and  whofe  religious  exercifes 
are  grounded  upon  and  conformable  to  them,  are  ftran- 
gers  to  true  religion,  and  in  the  way  to  deftruftion  : 
and  all  thefe  falfe  doctrines  and  notions  of  religion,  and 
all  the  practical  religion  that  is  built  upon  them,  will  be 
con  fumed  by  Chrift  with  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth,  and 
deftroyed  vath  the  brightnefs  of  his  coming.  Of  thefe 
therefore  I  muft  now  take  my  leave,  without  the  leaft 
difpofition  to  flatter  them,  or  hope  of  their  profperity 
in  the  way  they  are  going  ;  and  with  a  pleafing  certain- 
ty that  all  their  errors  and  falfe  religion  fliall  be  utterly 
abolifhed  by  Chrift,  and  that  he  will  be  praifed  and 
honoured  by  all  thefe  errors  and  this  oppolition  to  him, 
however  wide  may  be  their  fpread,  and  though  they 
may  continue  yet  a  confiderable  time,  even  to  the  end 
determined. 

I  muft  now  turn  to  the  public  profeiTors  of  religion, 
the  members  of  the  Chriftian  churches,  of  various  dif- 
ferent denominations,  among  Proteftants. 

The  paftors  of  churches,  or  the  clergy  of  every  de- 
gree and  character,  come  firft  into  view.  It  is  doubt- 
lefs  true,  that  the  clergy  are  the  leaders  and  principal  in- 
ftruments  in  all  the  moral  good  and  evil  which  takes 
place  in  Chriftendom.  All  of  the  clergy  in  the  Protef- 
tant  world,  who  muft  be  clafled  with  thofe  before  de- 
fcribed,  by  the  erroneous  doctrines  they  hold,  or  not 
preaching  any  fcheme  of  doctrines,  but  who  really 
leave  out  all  the  eflential  truths  of  the  gofpel,  and  con- 
fine themfelves  to  what  may  be  called  fpurious  heathen 
morality,  and  all  of  immoral  lives,  v^hatever  doctrines 
they  preach,  are  of  courfe  excluded  from  the  number  of 

truly 


5s RM.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLB.  l"]"] 

truly  Chriftian  minifters.  Jefus  Chrlft  has  fixed  their 
doom :  "  Many  will  fay  to  me  in  that  day.  Lord, 
Lord,  have  M^e  not  prophefied  in  thy  name  ?  &c.  And 
then  will  I  profefs  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  De- 
part from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity.'*  To  thefe  I  can- 
not lay,  "  God  fpeed,'*  when  I  take  my  leave  of  them, 
left  I  be  a  partaker  of  their  evil  deeds. 

But  I  mull;  be  allowed  to  fift  the  clergy  more  clofelyj 
efpecially  thofe  of  the  United  States  of  America,  v/ho 
are  not  excluded  by  the  foregoing.  A  great  body  of 
miniilers  in  thefe  States  are  profeil'ed  Calvinifts,  differ- 
ing however  in  fome  points,  and  are  generally  irre- 
proachable in  their  moral  conducl.  But  they  are  afked 
ferioufly  to  confider  whether  they  have  good  evidence 
that  they  have  been  born  again,  agreeable  to  the  fcrip- 
ture  account  of  that  great  change,  and  find  themfelves 
real  friends  to  Chriil  and  his  caufe,  expreiTed  in  all  pro- 
per ways. 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  many  not  having  ever  palTed 
this  change  is  the  reafon  why  they  bring  forth  no  more 
good  fruit,  and  fo  m.uch  which  is  more  like  bad  than 
good  4  in  that  they  do  not  appear  to  encourage  expe- 
rimental religion,  or  preach  upon  it  clearly  or  mucli,  if 
at  any  time.  And  though  they  would  be'  thought  to 
be  Calviniits,  they  appear  to  dillike,  and  never  preach, 
fome  of  the  moft  important  dodrines  of  Calvinifm  ; 
fuch  as,  the  total  depravity  of  man  ;  God's  firft  moving, 
and  fovereign  grace,  in  the  regeneration  and  converfion 
of  fmners  ;  and  the  do^lrine  of  the  decrees  of  God, 
taken  in  the  only  proper,  ftricl  and  extenlive  fenfe  ; 
that  he  has  decreed  lohatfoever  conies  to  pafs.  They  igno- 
rantly  fay.  It  would  be  better  to  fay,  God  foreknevj 
whatfoever  comes  to  pafs.  They  choofe  to  call  them- 
felves moderate  Cahinijis  ;  but  might  as  well,  and  per- 
haps more  properly,  be  called  moderate  Arminians,  But 
I  fhould  be  willing  to  lay  all  thefe  names  afide,  as  many 
appear  to  wifli,  were  it  not  the  Ihorteil  and  moft  con- 
venient way  to  denote  the  general  fcheme  of  doctrines 
which  different  perfons  embrace.  This  is  agreeable  to 
C  c  c  the 


'^V/S  Till;  author's  rAR£v,-£LL         Serm*  XXL 

the  practice  of  the  Chriflian  church  in  ail  the  ages  of 
it,  whether  more  corrupt,  or  more  pure.  And  no  in-- 
convenience  has  attended  it,  that  I  know  of,  which 
would  not  attend  any  other  method.  All  of  this  clafs 
I  muft  leave,  with  the  fears  concerning  them,  exprelied 
abrvc.  And  while  1  fall  under  their  refentment  and 
ccnfure,  as  narrow  and  bigoted  in  my  fcntiments,  and 
very  cenforious,  I  cheerfully  leave  the  matter  to  the  day 
when  the  Lord  Vv^ill  brine;  to  lischt  the  hidden  thino^s  of 
clarknefs,  and  make  manifeft  the  couniels  of  the  heart. 

But  I  return  to  thofe  who  embrace  the  doctrines  of 
the  reformation,  of  Calvin,  and  the  chief  and  leading 
doclrines  contained  in  the  Weflminfter  confeiiion  of 
faith,  as  being  agreeable  to  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  who 
give  fatisfaclory  evidence  that  they  are  the  fubjecls  of 
divine,  regenerating  grace,  and  are  friends  to  Chrift, 
and  heartily  engaged  in  his  caufe.  I  embrace  you  with 
cordial,  benevolent  alTection,  wilhing  you  fuccefs  in 
your  vv^ork,  and  that  you  may  he  faithful  unto  death. 
It  is  to  be  willied  you  would  give  yourfelves  wholly  to 
the  work  of  the  miniitry,  and  that  you  were  all  Jludents^ 
conftantly  labouring  to  make  advances  in  the  know- 
ledge of  divinity,  by  reading,  meditation,  and  con- 
verfing  wdth  thole  who  are  purfuing  the  fame  lludy  of 
the  fcripture.  We  live  in  evil  times,  v/hen  Chriftianitv, 
and  efpeciaily  true  religion  in  principle  and  practice,  is 
greatly  oppofed,  and  faft  decaying  in  general,  as  if  it 
W'ould  foon  all  be  gcnie  ;  and  we  have  realbn  to  believe 
thefe  evil  tim.es  vdll  grow  much  worfe.  But  this  is  fo 
iar  from  being  a  reafon  for  fitting  ftill  and  unactive, 
that  it  ought  to  be  a  motive  to  great  and  conftant  exer- 
tion to  promote  the  caufe  of  Chrift,  and  oppofe  the  flood 
of  error -and  i4r.quity,  which  is  coming  in  with  a  mighty, 
rapid  ftreanu  :  ne  caufe  of  Chrift  will  not  be  loft.  His 
truth  is  great,  and  will  prevail.  Good  is  to  be  done 
now,  and  fome  iinners  muft  be  converted  ;  and  blefled 
is  the  man  vv^ho  has  the  greateft  hand  in  this  work. 
We  are  commanded  to  pray  to  the  Lord  of  the  harveil 
to  fend  forth  more  labourers  into  his  harveft.     And  we 

have 


SeRM.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLD.  379 

have  alTurancc  that  our  prayers  will  be  anfwered,  in  his 
own  way  and  time.  He  will  fill  the  church  and  the 
\\'orld  with  miniilers,  furniflied  with  fuch  abilities,  for- 
titude, diligence,  zeal,  knowledge  and  true  wifdom,  as 
to  exceed  any  of  us,  beyond,  far  beyond  our  prefent 
conception.  In  this  view,  I  overlook  the  prefent  dark 
fcene,  and  take  a  cheerful  farewell  of  you  and  of  the 
world. 

Having  taken  my  leave  of  the  clergy  and  pallors  of 
churches  among  Proteftants,  I  mufc  not  pafs  over  the 
private  members  of  thefe  churches,  in  very  different 
worldly  circumftances  and  ftations,  and  of  various  deno- 
minations, When  all  of  this  clafs,  who  are  either  igno- 
rant of  the  efTential  doctrines  of  the  gofpel,  or  deny  and 
oppofe  them,  and  imbibe  contrary  errors,  as  moft  agree- 
able to  their  hearts ;  and  all  thcie  who  take  the  name 
of  Chriftians,  but  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  and  lead 
vicious  lives  ;  alfo  all  mere  formal  profelTors,  who  do 
not  live  up  to  their  profeffion,  and  bring  forth  good 
fruit,  but  in  their  general  converlation  and  conduct  m»ix 
with  the  men  of  the  world,  and  live  more  conformable 
to  them  than  like  real  Chriftians  ;  finally,  all  thofe  who 
appear  ftrangers  to  experimental  religion,  or  any  thing 
like  being  born  again  ;  v/hen  all  thefe  are  excluded  and 
fet  aiide,  as  not  the  proper  objecls  of  Chriftian  charity, 
how  comparatively  fmall  will  be  the  number  of  the 
remnant  who  are  left  1  And  yet  it  is  probable  that 
among  thefe,  fome,  if  not  many,  are,  under  a  fair  ap- 
pearance, but  mere  hypocrites  !  The  happy  num.ber  of 
true  Chriftians  cannot  be  certainly  known  by  any  man, 
and  fome  of  them  are  not  known  by  themfelves;  to  be 
real  Chriftians  ;^  but  the  Lord  knows  who  are  his,  and 
will  own  and  take  care  of  them. 

They  are  all  united  in  believing  and  loving  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jefus,  and  have  all  drank  into  the  fame  Spirit, 
under  whatever  form  they  worlhip,  and  whatever  de- 
nomination they  have  taken.  Hie  diftinccions  by  which 
the  various  denominations  of  Chriftians  are  now  di- 
vided will  doubtlefs  vanifii,  when  a  greater  degree  of 

holincfs 


3S0  THE  author's  farewell       Ssrm.  XXI. 

holinefs  and  light  fliall  take  place,  and  prejudiccr*  by 
education  or  any  other  means  Ihalj  be  removed ;  and 
Chriftians  will  be  united  and  of  one  mind  in  thole  things 
about  which  they  are  now  divided,  and  their  creed,  in 
which  they  agree,  as  to  fubftance,  now,  will  remain  the 
great  bond  of  union.  They  who  underitand  and  be- 
lieve that  the  wrath  of  man  Ihall  praifs  God,  and  that 
the  remainder  of  wrath  he  v/ill  reftrain,  as  all  true 
Chriftians  do,  muft,  to  be  confident,  believe  the  doc- 
trines preached  and  written  by  that  great  reformer  John 
Calvin,  and  confequently  the  above  mentioned  con- 
felTion  of  faith,  in  the  fubftance  of  it ;  and  therefore  muft 
be  agreed  in  the  chief  articles  of  their  creed  ;  for  ail  this 
is  really  contained  in  this  pafTage  of  icripture  ;  of  which 
every  unprejudiced,  candid  perfon  muft  be  convinced, 
if  he  will  carefully  attend  to  the  words,  and  to  the  ex- 
planation that  has  been  given  of  tliem. 

To  you  I  addrefs  m.yfeif  \A'ith  peculiar  pleafure.  You 
live  in  a  time  pointed  out  in  fcripture  prophecy  as 
peculiarly  evil ;  and  prefent  evils,  which  have  lately 
increafed,  both  moral  and  natural,  doubtiefs  will  yet 
make  a  rapid  progrefs,  till  they  ftiall  rife  to  a  height 
which  is  beyond  your  prefent  conception  ;  and  you 
have  no  reafon  to  expect  to  live  to  fee  the  end  of  them. 
Yet  thefe  words  of  the  text,  and  the  abundant  promifes 
made  to  the  church,  and  to  every  true  believer,  are  a 
fuillcient  ground  of  conftant  fupport  and  confolation  to 
all  real  Chriftians.  It  is  a  ground  of  fupport  and  com^ 
fort  to  refled  and  know  that  but  a  fmail  part  of  the 
whole  time  of  the  trouble  of  the  church  yet  remains  to 
fill  up  the  meafure  of  her  fuffering,  though  the  laft  con- 
flicl  may  be  moft  fevere.  I  believe  v^e  have  not  yet  at- 
tained  any  light  from  icripture,  from  which  we  can  be 
fure  that  Chriftians  will  not  fufter  perfecution,  and 
that  a  more  trying  and  fevere  one  than  any  tiiat  has 
yet  taken  place,  before  the  millennium  comes  on.  But 
this  will  not  be,  unlefs  it  be  neceilary  for  the  good  01 
the  church,  and  to  introduce  the  time  of  her  profperity 
in  the  beft  manner  5  and  ail  this  wrath  of  man,  be  it 

more 


BeHM.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLB.  38 1, 

more  or  lefs,  of  longer  or  ftiorter  duratJon,  lliall  praiib 
the  Redeemer. 

The  church  will  live  and  profpcr,  and  will  come 
forth  from  the  furnace  of  aflliclion  as  gold  purified 
feven  times.  "  And  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  iliali  re- 
turn and  come  to  Zion  with  fongs,  and  everlafting  joy 
upon  their  heads.  They  fhall  obtain  joy  and  gladnefs, 
and  forrow  and  lighing  fliall  fiee  away."  And  why 
may  not  Chriilians  begin  their  ihug  now?  Though 
you  do  not  fee  the  glorious  Redeemer,  yet,  believing, 
you  love  him  who  orders  all  things  perfectly  well,  takes 
the  beft  care  of  the  church,  and  of  every  one  who 
trufts  in  him,  and  will  glorify  himfelf  by  all  things  to 
the  higheft  degree.  Weil  may  you  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
fpeakable  and  full  of  glory  ;  while  you  watch  and  keep 
your  garments,  faiving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
gofpel,  and  in  nothing  terrified  by  your  advcrlaries. 
With  joy  I  now  bid  you  a  hearty,  tiiough  I  hope  not  a 

long,  FAREWELL. 

But  New-England,  the  place  of  my  nativity,  demands 
my  more  particular  attention.  Afide  from  my  partiali- 
ty in  favour  of  this  part  of  the  vv'orid,  I  believe  that  all 
men  of  obfervation  and  judgment  in  this  matter,  who 
are  acquainted  with  the  Proteftant  world  in  general, 
and  with  the  religious  ftate  of  New-England,  from  the 
firft  fettlem^ent  of  it,  will  grant  there  has  been  the  ap- 
pearance of  more  true  religion  in  principle,  profeiiion 
and  practice,  and  a  more  regular,  moral  conducf:  among 
all  orders  and  ages  of  perfons,  in  this  part  of  America, 
than  in  any  other  part  of  the  Chriftian  world  of  equal 
extent.  Bofton,  the  metropolis  of  New-England,  has 
been,  till  within  lefs  than  fifty  years  paft,  a  place  of 
more  religious  order  in  the  obfervation  oi  the  fabbath 
and  other  religious  duties,  a  better  education  of  chil- 
dren, and  of  a  more  decent,  fober,  moral  conduct  of  the 
inhabitants  in  general,  than  of  any  other  equally  or 
more  populous  city  or  town  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
And  the  people  in  general  in  New-England  were  dif- 
pofcd  to  pay  refped  to  religion,  to  maintain  family  re- 
ligion 


332  THr,  auti^or's  fare^'eli.        Serm.  XXIi 

ligion  and  v/orCiIp.  The  fabba.th  and  piibjlc  worfliip 
Vi'erc  regarded  'diid  atterxded  upon,  by  the  inhabitants, 
in  general,  'i'he  churches  were  confidcrably  large,  and 
a  degree  of  difcipline  kept  up.  Children  were  under 
government,  inilructed  and  cntccliifed.  Grol's,  open 
vices  were  in  a  great  decree  restrained.  Leadini^  men 
in  public  ftations  were  in  general  exemplary,  and  the 
bigger  part  of  people  were  intelligent  in  things  of  mo- 
rality and  religion,  and  of  a  good  behaviour. 

But,  alas  !  "  How  is  tlic  gold  become  dim  !  How  1;^ 
the  niofi:  fine  gold  changed  !'*  Of  late  years  a  great  and 
rapid  degeneracy  has  taken  place,  both  in  the  doctrines 
and  duties  of  religion.  Family  won'hip,  and  a  proper 
government  and  religious  education  of  children,  are 
generally  neglecled.  Error  and  ignorance  in  religious 
concerns,  and  vice  and  immorality  in  conduct,  are 
greatly  incrcaiing.  Infidelity,  Deifm  and  Atheifm  are 
ipreading  as  an  iiTefiftible  torrent,  and  many,  if  not 
mcft,  of  the  youth  and  rifing  generation  are  growing 
up  ready  to  imbibe  error  and  infidelity.  If  thefe  fliall 
have  their  natural  courfe,  unlefs  divine  influence  inter- 
pofe,  and  put  a  icOp  to  them,  New-England  v\'iil  foon 
become  as  famous  for  irreligion,  infidelit^r,  atheifm, 
immorality  and  heathenifm,  as  it  has  been  for  the  con- 
trary ;  and  Chriidanity  will  be  wholly  excluded  and 
forgotten.  It  is  true  that  all  Chriftian  miniilers,  and 
others  in  public  and  private  llations,  who  are  friends  to 
the  caufe  of  Chrift,  ought  to  hope,  pray  and  ftrive 
againfl  this  evil,  and  exert  themfelves  to  the  utmoft  in 
ail  proper  ways  in  oppoiltion  to  the  caufe  of  fin,  Satan- 
and  evil  men  ;  and  be  ready  to  die  in  the  caufe  of  truth 
and  religion.  In  the  pleaiing  hope  of  this,  I  embrace 
you  all,  whether  perfonally  acquainted  with  you  or 
not,  with  the  mofl  cordial  affection,  and  benevolent 
FAREWEi,!,.  At  the  fame  time  I  take  my  leave  of 
New-England,  with  the  painful  fear  and  profpecl  of  the 
evils  v,^hich  have  been  mentioned,  flying  to  m.y  text 
'and  the  truths  contained  in  it  for  fupport  and  comfort. 

Rliode-Ifland, 


Seam.  XXL  to  the  worM).  38^ 

Rhodc-Ifland,  particuLirly  Newport  the  Capital,  in 
which  I  have  Hved  near  thirty  of  the  rail  years  01  my 
life,  iiow  demands  my  fpecial  attention. 

This  town  has  been  long  nolcd  for  tlie  many  dilTe- 
rent  religious  fects  and  denominations  into  \vhich  the 
inhabitants  are  divided,  while  the  body  of  the  people 
have  been  confidered,  1  believe  jufdy,  to  ha\'e  very  little 
true  religion,  if  any  ;  and  they  have  appeared  more 
diilolute,  vicious,  erroneous  and  ignorant,  than  people 
in  general  are  in  other  parts  of  Nevz-England.  And 
there  has  been  no  general  revival  of  religion,  or  reforma- 
tion, to  this  day  ;^and  the  moral  flate  and  character  of 
the  inhabitants  in  general  has  not  becoir.e  better,  but 
the  contrary.  The  extraordinary  and  general  revival 
of  religion  in  New-England  and  many  other  places, 
about  fixty  years  ago,  did  not  reach  Nev/port  iu  any 
coiifidcrabic' degree.  While  the  heavenly  dew  fell 
copiouily  on  other  places,  this  town  recelyed  but  a  few 
fcattering  drops,  and  remained  almoft  v/holly  dry. 
There  are  a  o:reat  number  of  families  in  this  place  who 
have  no  appearance  of  any  fort  or  religion  m  their 
houfes,  and  who  never  attend  on  any  public  worfhip ; 
and  there  are  many  individuals  of  this  cnaracler  in 
other  families  ;  and  many  others,  who,  though  they 
attend  public  vv-orHiip  fometimes,  yet  not  conftantly 
nor  oflcn.  Ail  thefe  doubtlefs  include  the  greateit 
number  of  the  whole  inhabitants  ;  and  a  great  part  of 
them  are  fo  inattentive  to  religion,  and  fo  ignorant, 
that  they  have  really  no  religious  principles :  others 
have  imbibed,  and  are  ftrongiy  fixed  in,  religious 
maxims  and  notions,  as  contrary  to  the  l>ible  as  dark- 
nefs  is  to  the  hght.  Of  thofe  who  confiantly  attend 
public  worfliip,  including  the  profelibrs  cf  religion, 
very  few  of  them  maintain  any  i^mily  vrorlliip  or 
religion,  and  by  far  -the  greater  part  are  fo  immoral  in 
their  condu<5l,  or  ignorant  or  erroneous  in  their  notions 
of  religion,  as  to  fall  vafdy  Ihort  of  the  fcripture 
eharacter  of  true  Chriftians. 

There 


384  'fHI    AUTH0k*3    FAREWELL  SsRM.    XXL 

llierc  have  been  a  number  of  real  and  excellent 
Chriftian.s  in  this  tov/n,  of  dilTerent  denominations, 
who  are  now  in  heaven  5  and  doubtlefs  there  are  feme 
yet  among  ns,  but  there  is  reafon  to  conclude  that  the 
number  of  fuch  is  greatly  leiicned,  and  that  there  are 
now  but  very  few.  Of  you  I  take  my  afFeftionatc 
leave,  vviQiing  you  may  increafe  in  number,  and  Ihine, 
in  the  midft  of  a  crooked  and  perverfe  generation,  as 
lights  in  the  world. 

The  fiave  trade,  and  the  llavery  of  the  Africans,  in 
which  this  town  has  had  a  greater  hand  than  any  other 
town  in  New-England,  mull  not  be  palled  over  unmen- 
tioned  here.  This  inhuman  trade  has  been  the  firft 
and  chief  fpring  of  all  the  trade  and  bufmefs  by  which 
this  town  has  rifen  and  flouriilied  :  which  has  there- 
fore been  built  up,  in  a  great  meafure,  by  the  blood 
and  unrighteous  iiiiferings  of  the  poor  Africans.  And 
this  trade  is  yet  carried  on  here,  in  the  face  of  all  the 
light  and  matter  of  convi(5lion  of  the  unrighteoufnefs 
and  aggravated  iniquity  of  it,  which  has  of  late  years 
l)een  offered,  and  againft  the  exprefs  laws  of  God  and 
man.  And  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  citizens  in 
general  have  a  proper  fenfe  of  the  evil  of  this  bufmefs, 
of  the  guilt  which  has  been  contracted  by  it,  and  of 
the  difpleafure  of  God  for  it,  or  that  they  have  a  juft 
abhorrence  of  it ;  but  there  is  much  evidence  of  the 
contrary,  and  that  there  is  little  or  no  true  repentance 
of  it. 

In  this  dark,  unpleafant  and  melancholy  view  of  the 
ftate  and  character  of  the  body  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  town,I  muil  take  my  leave,  with  a  painful  profpecl 
of  the  evil  which  is  coming  upon  them  and  their 
pofterity  ;  which  they  would  not  believe,  were  they 
told.  To  moft  of  them  I  cannot  fpeak,  and  if  I  could, 
and  they  fliould  know  what  1  think  and  fay  of  them, 
it  would  only  ferve  to  excite  the  refentment  and  in- 
dignation of  the  mo:0:. 

But  there  is  a  bri;^ht  fide,  to  which  the  Chriftian 
may  look  for  fupport  and  comfort,  in  the  midft  of  all 

this 


SfiRM.    XXI.  TO    THi    WORLD,  385 

this  dark  and  evil  ftate  of  things,  which  cannot  be  too 
often  brought  into  view.  All  this  fin  and  wrath  of 
man,  and  the  evils  which  attend  and  follow  it,  will 
praife  Chrift,  and  turn  to  the  grcateft  good  of  his 
kingdom.  And  all  the  wicked  Ihall  be  ihaken  from  the 
earth,  and  from  this  ifland  too  ;  and  it  iliall  yet  be  full 
of  meek,  h'amble  and  holy  inhabitants,  who  fliall  praife 
the  Lord,  and  deliglit  themfelves  in  the  abundance  of 
peace  and  happincfs.  Amen.  Hallelujah  :  for  the 
Lord  God  Omnipotent  rcigncth. 

But  I  muft  now  come  nearer  home,  and,  not  without 
fenfible  and  affedlionate  emotions,  take  my  farewell  of 
the  church  and  congregation  in  this  town,  with  whom 
I  have  lived,  mir.iftering  to  them  moft  of  the  time  fbr 
above  thirty  years. 

When  I  lirft  came  among  you  the  church  was  not 
fmali,  and  incrcafed  in  number ;  and  the  congregation 
appeared  to  ilouriih.  Above  an  hundred  young  perfons 
iifed  to  repair  to  uiy  houfe  at  appointed  times  for  reli- 
gious inilrucbion.  But  when  the  war  with  the  Britifli 
cam.e  on,  wc  vv^erc,  for  a  time,  broken  up,  and  many  of 
us  fcattered  into  the  country,  a  number  of  whom  never 
returned  again.  In  this  time  our  parfonage  houfe 
was  deftroyed,  the  bell  of  the  meeting-houfe  was  taken 
away,  and  the  inlide  of  the  houfe  v/as  fo  defaced  and 
deftroyed  by  the  enemy,  that  public  worfliip  could  not 
be  attended  in  it  ;  and  thofe  who  flayed  in  the  town 
during  the  refidence  of  the  Britifh  here,  and  thofe  who 
went  out  and  returned  again,  fuiFered  lolTes  in  their 
worldly  intereil.  By  thefe  events,  and  by  the  deatlis 
that  have  taken  place,  both  on  the  land,  and  of  the  men 
who  have  ufed  the  fea,  we  are  become  few  in  number, 
and  in  a  degree  poor  in  v/orldly  circuraftanccs.  Moft 
of  the  church  and  congregation  which  were  on  the  fcage 
when  I  firft  came  here  are  gone  to  the  grave.  But  the 
grcateft  calamity  of  ail  is,  the  good  people  who  have  de- 
ceafcd  have  none,  or  very  few,  to  incceed  them  and  hli 
up  their  places,  and  have  left  us  in  a  great  and  awful 
degree  deftitute  of  the  power  and  praftice  of  true  reli- 
D  d  d  gioa. 


i[8'6  THE  author's  farewell       Serm.  XXI* 

•gion.      In  thcfc  dark  and   difagreeable  circumitances^ 

I  now  take  my  leave  of  you  ;  yet  with  a  hope,  though 

a  faint  one,  that  after  I  am  gone  God  v/ill  build  you  up, 

■  and  grant  you  and  your  children  greater  fpiritual  blef- 

fmgs  than  you  have  liad  vidiile  1  have  been  with  you. 

1  have  not  fliunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  ccun- 
fel  of  God,  fo  far  as  1  have  undcrftood  what  it  \V2^.  In 
doing  this  I  am  fenhble  I  have  preached  and  publi&cd 
doctrines  which  are  very  ofFeniive  and  odious  to  many, 
though  I  hope  to  but  few  if  any  of  you.  I  have  oppofed 
evil  practices,  by  which  I  have  incurred  the  difpieafurc 
and  refentment  of  many  ;  and  have  taught  and  incul- 
cated duties,  and  an  experimental;,  practical  religion, 
which  confifts  moft  eflcntially  in  felf-denial,  as  the  only 
way  to  heaven,  which  are  difagreeable  to  many,  and 
not  believed  to  be  true.  Some  of  the  doctrines  which 
i  have  preached  and  publifhed  have  been  oppofed  from 
the  prefs  and  the  pulpit,  and  more  privately,  and  have 
rot  been  underftood,  and  reprefented  as  h-orrible  and 
mifchievous,  tending  to  deftroy  all  true  religion,  &c, 
But  all  this  has  no  imprcfiion  on  me,  to  excite  the  leafl 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  fo  oppofed,  or  to  in- 
cline me  to  ccafc  to  aiTert  and  vindicate  them.  I  have 
fuch  clear  and  full  convidion,  and  unfhaken  confidtnce, 
ihat  the  doctrines  which  I  have  for  along  courfe  of 
years  preached  and  maintained,  are  the  truths  contained 
in  the  Bible,  that  I  fland  as  a  brazen  wall,  unhurt,  and 
rot  moved  by  all  the  fliafts  of  oppofition  and  reproach 
which  have  been  levelled  at  me,  and  the  fyllem  of  truth 
and  religion  which  I  have  efpoufcd.;  being  afliired 
that  it  will  fland  forever  ;  and  certain  beyond  a  doubt, 
from  fcripture,  rcafon  and  experience,  that  a  cordial  be- 
lief and  love  of  thefe  truths,  with  religious  exercifes  and 
conduct  agreeable  to  them,  is  connected  with  falvation, 
and  is  a  lufficient  ground  of  fupport  and  comfort  un- 
der the  grcafeft  trials,  and  in  the  neareft  view  of  death 
and  eternity.  On  this  foundation  1  cheerfully  reft  my 
eternal  intereft,  which  indeed  is  infinite,  and  invite  all 
to  do  the  fame.  * 


SeRM.    XXI.  TO    THE    WORLD.  387 

To  you  therefore,  my  dear  people,  both  old  and 
young,  as  a  dymg  man,  and  in  the  view  of  a  judgment 
and  eternity  to  come,  I  recommend  the  religion  which 
I  have  endeavoured  to  preach  and  inculcate  among  you 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  to  exemplify  in  pradice, 
both  publicly,  more  privately  and  in  fecret.  Being  af. 
fured  that  he  only  is  fafe  and  happy  who  is  a  rea^ 
Chriftian,  I  recommend  Chrift  to  you  with  my  dying 
breath  as  the  only  refuse  for  finners  :  for  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth,  and  is  baptized,  fliall  be  faved  ;  but  he  that  ber 
lieveth  not,  fliall  be  damned." 

Finally,  I  take  my  leave  of  all  my  acquaintance, 
friends,  and  relatives,  whether  nearer  or  farther  off, 
wifliing  they  may  all  partake  of  the  faving  bleflings  of 
the  gofpel :  and  if  I  have  any  enemies,  I  forgive  them, 
and  wifli  to  them  the  fame  bleffings.  To  my  kind 
benefactors,  I  wifli  the  abundant  rewards  promifed  io 
the  word  of  God  to  the  charitable  and  bountiful,  even 
to  all  who  give  fo  much  as  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  any 
of  the  profeffed  difciples  of  Chrift,  becaufe  they  belong 
to  Him.  To  my  particular  Chrijiian  Fi'iends,  in  whom 
has  been  my  chief  delight,  and  who,  I  have  often  faid, 
^re  my  greateft  treafure  on  earth,  I  leave  my  beft 
wiflies,  with  a  fond  and  animating  hope  of  living  for- 
ever with  you  in  the  moft  intimate,  perfect  and  unin- 
terrupted friendfliip.     Amen. 


FINIS. 


Date  Due 


